


I Will Wait for You

by KelliDiane



Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: M/M, daddy!niall
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-09-15
Updated: 2013-09-15
Packaged: 2017-12-26 17:10:44
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 24,021
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/968438
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/KelliDiane/pseuds/KelliDiane
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Niall is left heart broken and tries to move on. Unfortunately his way of moving on isn’t exactly the best method.</p>
            </blockquote>





	I Will Wait for You

Louis throws an arm around Niall's waist and cuddles him closer. He lets his fingers run through the blond locks and smiles at the boy. They had come out to Doncaster fields to have a picnic and watch the clouds. "So... School starts up again for you soon. You going to do anything exciting this term?"

"Isn't it a bit of an oxymoron for school and exciting to be in the same conversational topic?" Niall snorts resting his cheek on Louis' head. "You know that X Factor is coming out to Doncaster in a week..." He lets his voice trail off.

Louis tenses a bit. "Yeah, it's been all anyone can talk about. Why are you bringing it up? You thinking of auditioning?" He turns his head a bit and does his best to look down at him. "Niall, you should finish your education first."

"Not me, I'm talking about you." Niall rolls his eyes running his fingertips up and down Louis' arm "Your voice is beautiful and you're hot. I know you'll make it." He whispers kissing the crown of his head.

Louis sighs. "Niall, I'm not auditioning. I'm nowhere near good enough to make it." He looks down and traces patterns in the flimsy white material of Niall's shirt. "I'll only ever be good enough for Hall Cross Theatre."

"Stop it. One day when you're performing in Wembley Stadium you'll tell your thousands of fans that you owe everything to your boyfriend." He laughs using his hand to run it across the sky like he could see the title. "Seriously though, you should. Give me one good reason you shouldn't? Other than the fact that you don't think you're good."

"Because I don't want to face the humiliation of being told you’re not good enough. That's why my dad left and I'm just not ready for an entire country to know I suck." The older boy huffs and pulls his beanie a bit farther down over his hair. "And I don't think I could handle being told no and having to endure the horror of coming back home and everyone knowing."

"Everyone is disappointed, but I know you won't be." Niall sighs kissing the corner of his mouth. "I'll drop it though... For now! Only for now." He warns idly running his fingers up and down Louis' back.

Louis sighs, but counts it as a small victory. "Thank you. Now," he rolls them over so he's straddling Niall's waist, "let's make out and if you're lucky I'll even let you fuck me." He chuckles and leans down to press their lips together.

"Hmm... I like the sound of that. And maybe after we can switch." They always switched between who would bottom and who would top. "I don't top often, so if I suck..." Niall let's his voice trail off.

Louis rolls his eyes and covers the boy's mouth with hand. "Don't doubt yourself. I love you and I especially love when your hot thick Irish cock pounds into me." He removes his hand and leans in to nip and bite at the blond's neck. "I love you. How good you are in the sack doesn't change that."

Niall blushes hard at the obscenities spilling from Louis' mouth. He always got embarrassed by dirty talk although he liked it. "I love you too." He points above his boyfriend's head at the sky. "Look it's a giraffe."

Louis can't help the giggles that burst from his mouth. "I'm trying to get us in the mood for sex and you're still staring at clouds!" He rolls off his boyfriend and back onto the grass to stare up at the sky. "That's not a giraffe, love. That's definitely a medieval gauntlet."

"The hell are you talking about?" Niall shakes his head insisting with another jab of his finger at the sky. He rolls over onto his side propping himself on his elbow. "I'm sorry about that."

Louis smiles. "It's completely fine. We should be getting home anyway. We've been here for hours and I promised Jay I'd babysit tonight so she can have a date." He sighs and sits up a bit. He looks over at his boyfriend and smiles brightly. "Want to come over while I babysit?"

"We can't do anything though you know that right?" He sits up himself grabbing the snapback next to him to fix it on his dyed blonde head. "But yeah I'll come." Niall agrees squeezing Louis' thigh.

"Who said we can't do anything? The twins will practically go to bed after dinner and then Fizz heads to be an hour later. Lottie hit that age where she'd rather sit in her room and text her friends so we'll be in the clear." Louis smiles like it's the biggest and brightest plan in the universe. He pushes himself up off the ground and turns to extend a hand down to his boyfriend.

Niall uses Louis' arm to stand but he shakes his head. "I'm not doing anything when there are children that will be in the same house as us." He starts walking down the grassy knoll one hand in his pocket while the other holds Louis' softer one.

Louis rolls his eyes and sighs, but he's smiling. "Fine. But you should stay the night because I have no clue this date of Jay's will last." He carefully keeps his balance before reaching the bottom of the small hill. "Thank you for saying yes when I asked you out two years ago."

Niall laughs loudly at that eyeing Louis like he's insane. "Are you crazy? Of course I would say yes! What I can't believe is that you asked me!" He stares back up at the sky for a long moment fixing the bill on his hat.

"Seriously? I stared at you for like six months straight at every opportunity I got. How were you surprised?" Louis laughs as they make their way from the park and down the streets of Doncaster back towards Louis' home.

"Because I didn't think I was good enough." Niall whispers his sneakers digging into the gravel.

Louis stops. He never wants to hear that soft insecure voice coming from his love ever again. "Hey, look at me." He lightly grabs at Niall's chin and has the boy look up at him. "You're perfect for me and there is no one I'd rather spend my time with."

"What if you leave me? What if you find something or someone else and you forget I'm here?" His voice is so small by that point. His chin is still in Louis' fingers knowing he'd have to say it while they make eye contact

"That'll never happen." Louis whispers just as quietly. He presses their lips together and wraps his arms around Niall's waist to bring them flush together. "After all, you're my forever."

"I love you." He mumbles into Louis' neck. He never thought he'd get so lucky, but Louis is his.

"I love you too. So much." Louis says holding him tightly. He can't for Niall to graduate so they can move into a flat together and start a wonderful life as one.

"You're too good to me." Niall laughs feeling a bit more like himself. He swipes his hand across his forehead following Louis inside. He just needs to believe him this time, needs to believe that Louis wants him to be his forever.

\------------

Niall runs the pads of his callused fingertips over the smooth skin of Louis' sun kissed skin, dragging his rose petal lips down the column of his boyfriend's throat. "You're so fucking beautiful," he whispers into his ear biting and sucking on the cartilage.

Louis, who is laying there completely relaxed, just hums softly and lets his eyes flutter open softly to look at his boyfriend. "You always say that. I still don't see it, but as long as you're happy I guess I am too." He squirms a bit at the feel of Niall on his ear, but settles a bit as he lets his thoughts wander. "School starts tomorrow. I guess I'll be heading down to London to take a look at the three colleges that took my scores."

Niall hums continuing to trail kisses down Louis' chest neither of them wearing a shirt. "I hope it's close by. I don't want to worry that you won't visit me."

"The closet one is two hours by train. I'll probably end up going there and coming home every two weeks." Louis says softly as he tries to ignore the butterflies in his stomach to settle down. He looks down at Niall and smiles softly. "I want you enjoy your last two years of schooling, okay? Take as many music classes as you can or hang out with guys from your class. Play footie, play your guitar, just enjoy it."

"I'm going to miss you too much." He whines against his nipple giving a small lick to the sensitive bud. "I'll enjoy it though, I promise. You know why? Because I know you'll be back and we'll still have each other."

Louis sighs at the pleasure that sparks through him with the small lick to his nipples. "Exactly." He shifts then and rolls Niall onto his back, the boy's legs falling open with the movement and Louis moving himself between them. "You know what else tomorrow is?"

"The first day of school?" Niall teases laughing breathlessly as he stares up at older male.

"Our two year anniversary." Louis pouts wondering if Niall had actually forgotten.

"I know, babe, I was only teasing. How could I forget something that important?" He raises an eyebrow leaning up to kiss him.

Louis sighs in relief. "While I'm in London, I might do a bit of looking around. See if I can find a flat I could rent and you could come visit me sometimes."

"Or I could live there." Niall jokes running the palm of his hand down Louis' tan back.

Louis purrs at the feel of his boyfriend's hand against his back. "As fantastic as that sounds, not until you graduate and pass your entrance exams."

"Fine." He drags the word out squirming away from Louis to sit up. "I need some help with homework. Could you help me out?" He asks sticking out his bottom lip.

"School hasn't even started and you're already doing homework? Where was this academically self-conscious boy when I was in secondary with you?" He chuckles and kisses the pouting lip. "Of course, I'll help you, love. What are we doing anyway?"

"I just need to practice my algebra so I don't fail -again- this year." He goes to his desk digging through his papers until a fluorescent orange flyer flutters towards the foot of the bed.

"My bad. Could you get that for me?" Niall asks absently but he knows exactly what it is.

Louis nods and picks up the paper. He reads over the words and stiffens at the text. "Niall... What is this?"

"A flyer for X Factor auditions. They're in two days if my memory serves me." He shrugs sitting back on the bed. Like he would actually do schoolwork before school starts.

"Niall..." Louis huffs. "Why do you have this? We've talked about this. You're going to finish your education first."

"Not for me, it's for you." Niall shrugs flippantly settling his hands behind his head.

Louis stares over at the blond. He huffs before ripping the flyer in half and throwing it on the ground. "Stop trying to convince me to try out. It's not going to happen."

"Hey! Don't litter!" Niall gets up crumbling the two halves of paper up tossing it into the waste basket. "Why not? Why not for me?" He begs getting on both knees and pleading to emphasize his point.

"Because! Why waste my time doing something that might not work out when I can go to University and get a degree and a nice job and hopefully save up for a life for us." Louis sighs and sits on the edge of the mattress looking down at Niall. "Why is it so important to you that I audition for this?"

"I know how much you love singing and I just want you to be happy." Niall sighs shaking his head. "I'll stop though, I promise. I don't want you to be upset."

Louis sighs. "I do love to sing, but heading to London and starting to get things ready for us as a couple is more important. You're my life, not singing." He looks down at Niall. "Thank you for thinking that I'd be happier doing this or trying to make me happy. Picking out a flat for us though will make me happiest."

"If that'll make you happy I'll stop." Niall lets out a dramatic sigh crossing his arms. "In the mean time why don't you get your cute ass over here?"

Louis smiles and heads over to his boyfriend. "Why? So we can work on your algebra to ensure that you won't fail the class again?"

"I've got better math to attend. Let's add the bed, subtract our clothes, and I'll divide your legs." He winks grabbing the back of his boyfriend's thighs.

Louis smiles as he wraps his arms around Niall's neck and rests their foreheads together. "That sounds pretty simple. I think we should work through it though to ensure you know just how it's done. Just remember to show your work, sound fair?"

He cups the back of Louis' head forcing his nose down into the crook of his shoulder, lips sucking at Louis' neck now in reach. "Oh, I'll make sure. I always show my work."

Louis checks the clock and sees that he only really has an hour until he has to head home. He wants a nice long drawn out goodbye sex session with his boyfriend, but there really isn't time. "I'll grade you at the end." His eyes flutter shut at the pressure at his neck and he rolls his hips forward into Niall's own. "This is a timed test, babe. You have an hour to get everything done. I'll help you if you need it."

Niall nods against his skin hooking his arms around Louis' shoulders and rolling over to situate his boyfriend's body hovering over him. "You look so fucking gorgeous." He nips at his bottom lip ripping the plaid shirt in two.

Louis gasps and slaps lightly at Niall's chest. "That was one of my favourite shirts! What am I supposed to wear back home?" He reaches down and tugs on the hem of Niall's shirt and pulls it up and off. "I guess your t shirt will just have to do."

"Yeah, just wear one of mine. Seems prefect to me." Niall trails fast sloppy kisses down his stomach getting him out of his jeans without problems. Almost in an instant he stops. "I want you to sing while I do this. Remember that song I wrote for you? I think that would be perfect."

Louis looks down at him like he's crazy. "You want me to sing while having sex? You're so weird." He chuckles but takes a deep breath and starts to sing for the boy. "Don't try to make me stay or ask if I'm okay. I don't have the answer. Don't make me stay the night or ask if I'm alright. I don't have the answer."

Niall loves Louis' voice so much he had to hear it. He kisses down his chest peeling his boxers from his legs discarding them.

Louis props himself up and watches as his boyfriend takes care of him. It's so loving and gentle and Louis doesn't want to leave tomorrow. "Heartache doesn't last forever, I'll say I'm fine. Midnight ain't no time for laughing when you say goodbye."

Niall leaves small pecks up his inner thighs licking at the creases that connected his legs to his pelvis.

Louis' breath hitches at the sensation and his head tilts back as his eyes flutter shut. "It makes your lips so kissable and your kiss unmissable. Your fingertips so touchable and your eyes irresistible."

Niall sheds himself of his own underwear. "We have to skip the foreplay we only have forty five minutes." He reaches into his nightstand rummaging around for a condom and lube.

Louis bites at his lip as he watches Niall grab what he needs. "How, um, how opposed would you be to not using a condom? I mean if you want to that's fine, I just... I want to feel you and everything..."

Niall drops the foil packet he had been holding. "Shit. Definitely, no condom. I don't see one do you?" He grabs the bottle, opening the cap to smear the cool gel over his feverish erection. "Are you positive?"

Louis nods feverishly. "Yeah. Just make sure I'm prepped really well. It's been awhile since I bottomed." He leans up and presses a kiss to his boyfriend's lips. "Do I need to keep singing?"

"I love that voice, but if you want to stop I won't make you sing." Niall kisses his nose lightly. He spreads some on his own fingers first, in his excitement almost missing that step. He presses one finger inside of him moving it in and out.

Louis squirms a bit and quickly thrusts back onto his finger. "I can take a bit more. Just go ahead and put two more inside me."

Niall wastes no time doing just that moving two digits in and out of his bum. "You have such a nice ass, Lou. Have I told you that?"

Louis moans a bit since that's a little bit of a stretch, but he unclenches his muscles as best he can. "You may have mentioned it once or twice, but it's always nice to hear again."

"Making sure," he laughs heartily pulling his slick hand away probing the older boy's entrance with the head of his cock. He looks into Louis' eyes slowly pushing in.

Louis wraps a hand around one of Niall's biceps and the other around the back of his neck. His eyes widen and his jaw goes slack as Niall enters him. "Jesus, this feels so different without a condom. It feels so much better."

"Fuck, so much better." Niall agrees groaning at the warm, wet sensation stretched around him.

Louis looks up and locks eyes with Niall. "Come on, then. Fuck me. We don't have a lot of time left." He pulls Niall down to kiss him and try and convey his love since he could never find the words.

Niall grips the headboard in front of him using it to start pounding into Louis setting a hard and fast rhythm.

Louis groans as he wraps his legs around Niall's waist and arches his back a bit. "Fuck, Niall." He doesn't know why this felt like goodbye sex in more ways than one. He knows Niall is who he wants to spend forever with, but he doesn't know how this next year will work for them.

Niall moans continuing to practically man handle Louis, harshly groping at his hips and at his cock pumping him up and down.

Louis arches farther up off the bed and moans loudly as Niall hits that spot inside him. "Niall! There! Oh, god!" There's so much love and stimulation and it's hard to keep himself quiet. He's never been more thankful that Niall's parents work late and that his brother lives at University.

He leans down to bite at his chest offering more stimulation with what's already going on. Niall twists his body to angle his hips better fucking him over in one spot.

Louis can't make any noise. His function of speech seems to have left him and all he can do is stare up in wonder at his boyfriend. He takes a deep, ragged breath and manages to get his speech back a bit. "Niall! I'm s-so close!"

"Me too, babe. You're so tight. So hot stretched around me and taking my cock so well." He whispers all of this in his ear licking and nibbling at his shoulder.

Louis can feel his stomach tightening and before he even has the chance to say anything, he's coming over both of their stomachs and even a bit on his chest. "Niall!"

"Louis," he breathes out reaching his peak. He comes inside of his lover both of them covered in a thin sheen of sweat. "I love you." Niall mumbles rolling over to lie flat on the bed.

Louis looks over at his boyfriend as he tries to catch his breath. He can feel Niall's release dripping towards his entrance and it feels so weird. "God I can feel you inside me. It's so..." He's searching for the right word. "Weird, yet completely filling. It's like we're closer than before."

"Oh, fuck that reminds me." He leaves and it takes a few minutes for him to come back, but he has a warm, wet washcloth in hand scrubbing away at his skin as well as Louis.' "You need to get going. It's been a little more than an hour." He sighs dramatically.

Louis groans. He hates moving after sex, but he has no choice. He gets up slowly and dresses himself in his pants and trousers before grabbing Niall's shirt. "I guess... I guess I'll see you when I come home in two weeks..." He says slowly as he stands by the door.

"I'll be counting down the days!" Niall chirps kissing the corner of his mouth then onto his lips if not a bit fiercely. "Promise no matter what you'll call every single day? And if you can't you'll send me a text?"

"I'll do my best." Louis nods before leaning in and grabbing Niall by the waist and pulling him in to kiss him once more. "I love you. I'll find us the perfect little flat and get a part time job and pass all my University classes." He smiles sadly. "I'll miss you."

"I'll miss you more." Niall nips at his lips a final time waving his boyfriend off.

Louis nods and grabs the door handle and exits the boy's bedroom before heading out of the house all together.

\------------

Niall pops a few crisps into his mouth fingers tapping away on his phone. 'Babe, you haven't answered any of my texts! I think I found a flat that's close enough for you to go to Man U and for me to drive over to school.'

He hadn't spoken to Louis in a week, but he figures he's only busy. Niall sits down on an armchair flipping the television on to see the X Factor. He smiles, it reminds him of Louis in fact the boy walking on stage looks way too familiar.

'What's your name?'

The boy on screen smiles brightly and flips the tiniest bit of hair from his vision. 'Louis Tomlinson from Doncaster.'

Niall's jaw drops. That is Louis. He goes back to Louis' contract to send him another message. 'You tried out?! Why didn't you tell me?!' He sits down on the edge of the couch biting into his thumbnail

'Tomlinson? So are you a university student or secondary schooling or what?'

Louis laughs brightly. 'This is my first year in University. I'm actually just audition before a really good friend of mine suggested I should.'

Niall's eyebrows shoot up. Really good friend? Maybe someone else suggested it like Stan or something. That would make sense he supposes.

'Alright then, Louis. Go ahead and sing for us.'

Louis nods and takes a deep breaths before bringing the mic up to his lips to sing. 'I've tried to ask myself should I see someone else? I wish I knew the answer. But I know, if I go now, if I leave then I'm on my own tonight- I'll never know the answer.'

The crowd is clapping and the camera pans to the judges and they're all smiling as Louis continues. 'Midnight doesn't last forever- dark turns to light. Heartache flips my world around- I'm falling down, down, down. That's why I find your lips so kissable and your kiss unmissable. Your fingertips so touchable and your eyes irresistible.'

Niall's stomach drops, he can't believe that Louis is singing their song, but he tries to understand where Louis is coming from. Maybe he wanted it to be a surprise, but it's been an entire week.

Simon holds up his hand to stop the contestant. 'Louis? Um, what artist wrote that song?'

Louis cheeks flush and he swears he can hear his heart pick up speed. 'Um, the love of my life did actually.'

'Well, it's absolutely perfect. It's a yes from me.' Simon says confidently. The other judges agree and soon Louis is being told that he's heading to bootcamp.

Niall sits back. Well at least he said love of his life. He sends another message to Louis. 'Well congratulations.'

The camera follows Louis backstage where there's normally friends and family waiting to greet them. Louis was alone though and he smiles shyly before one of the show's people came round to collect him.

Niall turns the television off. Well okay he didn't tell anyone and as hurt as he is he could work with this, at least he hopes so. He reclines back closing his eyes, phone held against his chest.

\------------

Niall's been turning the television on to watch X Factor every week to see if Louis made it since he's given up all hope on him answering any of his texts. He pulls his knees to his chest and he can't help but throw popcorn at the screen when he sees Louis come on. He's more than pissed and when he visits he'll have to wait on Niall hand and foot to make it up to him

It's the end of Bootcamp and all the boys are lined up on the stage and all look so nervous. The names start to get called and as the list goes on and on, the looks of terror becoming more and more permanent.

When the last name is called and Louis finds himself heading off the stage to find his bags, it's the worst he's ever felt. His name is called though and he's asked to come back to the stage and where he's standing next to three other boys.

Niall's a bit interested, confused as to what they want with his boyfriend. He sighs propping his elbow up on the armrest, chin in his palm.

'Boys,' Simon starts, 'we've decide you're too valuable to let go. If you all are interested we want to put the four of you forward into judges' houses as a group.'

Louis' face lights up and the three boys beside are all jumping and chugging at each other. 'Yes! This is definitely a yes!'

Niall isn't sure how to feel, but he continues texting Louis like he does periodically, hoping at some point he would answer back. 'A boy band? Never took you for the type, love.'

The credits begin to roll and the next opening for the next show begins. Niall's phone vibrates on the couch next to him.

'Hey, love! I've gotten all your texts and I want you to know I love you very much. We really haven’t had a lot of time for the phone and we were told to keep it to family only. Now that you know though, I can text you for a couple of hours before we board the plane to Madrid for Judges' Houses. I'm really sorry I didn't tell you. It honestly was a last minute decision and I can't thank you enough for pushing me and telling me I was good enough. Text me when you get a chance. -Louis <3'

'Louis William Tomlinson, I am so pissed at you. You fucking didn't tell me and ignored my texts?! You have said I love you if you couldn't tell me about auditioning! You owe me big time!' Niall sighs typing furiously at his key pad.

'I know. I'm really sorry. I'm going up to Holmes Chapel to get to know the boys. I'll call you right before Judges' House. We'll really busy trying to get to know each other and practice and get perfect. I love you so much, babe. The boys all can't wait to meet you. I love you so much.'

'For some reason, I love you too. Keep me updated, baby.'

\------------

The four boys stood together in a line. They had just made it through and all were smiling except Louis.

"So, boys, which ones of you all are still single?" The host asks in their 'Get to Know You' interview.

Harry raised his hand and looked down the line to Louis. The eldest raised his hand slowly and the press had a field day.

"What do you boys look for in a girl?"

Louis was slated to talk first. "Um, genuine personality, and a great smile."

Niall's mouth went dry. There's no way. He bit into his lip getting his phone out. 'So you're single? Great to know. "You're my forever." Fucking liar.' He sends the message satisfied when the ringtone goes off in Louis' pocket.

Louis knows exactly who that is. He shifts slightly to hide his phone behind Liam. The noise he makes when he reads the text is audible and Harry is interrupted. He looks up and he's trying his hardest not to cry on national television (again). "I-I'm sorry. I have to... I gotta go."

He takes off and tries to find a place where the cameras couldn't find him. He dials Niall's number frantically.

Niall doesn't answer though he just sends another message. His hands are trembling and he's on the verge of tears. 'At least I know I'm single now. Goodbye, Louis, have fun with whatever.' He sits back wiping at his eyes and he's surprised to find that he's already crying. He goes through his contacts list blocking Louis' number so he couldn't send any messages or call him. It hurt him more than he knew it would.

\------------

Louis tries texting and calling once more but keeps getting told his number is blocked. He's crying and trying his hardest to stay calm. When he sees the other boys coming down the path he runs up to meet them. "Guys! Can I please borrow someone's phone? It's an emergency!"

Harry nods holding his out to Louis. "Should we be concerned? You just ran off stage."

"I don't... Just hold on." Louis says quickly as he takes Harry's phone and dials the only number he ever bothered to memorise. "Come on, pick up. Please, babe..." He's tugging at his fringe at trying so hard to stay away from cameras.

Niall's confused when he sees an unknown number, but he accepts the call sliding the lock over. "Hello?"

"Niall, don't hang up. Just hear me out, okay?" Louis is trying to get everything out in one huge breath. "I love you. I want to be with you. The boys don't care, it's the producers. They said that I could either say I had a girlfriend or I was single. Please, I love you. I swear we're still together."

"No ,Louis, we're done. You've been ignoring all my texts and quite frankly I'm tired of being your dirty little secret. You couldn't come out at school and it’s the same thing now. I'm done with everything, but most of all I'm done with you."

"I've done exactly what you wanted. You wanted me to audition for X Factor and now I'm here. Babe, we can still make this work." He turns away from the boys and heads a little ways off.

"Exactly what I wanted? Ignoring my texts and generally being an asshole is just normal." Niall's hands are clenched and he hopes he looks as worse as he can.

"I didn't have a choice! Niall, please... I love you. You're my forever. I trust you with everything in me." Louis' voice is shaking, threatening to break.

"Bullshit you didn't have a choice. You always have one. We're over, Louis." It's probably the most painful thing he's ever said.

"Niall, please don't do this..." Louis has nothing else to say. All he can do is beg for Niall to reconsider.

"I hope you find a girl with a genuine personality and a great smile." Niall hangs up right after that.

Louis grips Harry's phone tightly as he heads back to the boys. He can feel the tears pouring down his face and he just needs someone to cuddle him up. "I don't think you'll be meeting Niall anytime soon."

"Oh, Lou." Harry wraps his arms around Louis pulling him into his chest and squeezing hard. "I'm sorry, babe," he whispers kissing the crown of his head and running his fingers through the thick fringe.

Louis cries into Harry's shoulder and grips tightly at the jumper on his back. "He said that I didn't love him because I wouldn't tell anyone about us."

Zayn awkwardly shifts on his feet unsure of what to do. He's not quite comfortable enough with them yet to offer comfort, but he pats at Louis' shoulder trying something.

"You'll find someone else." Harry has no idea if that's the right thing to say considering he hasn't known Louis long but he's hoping it is.

Louis cries harder. "We were together for two years!"

Liam can see the camera crews heading over their way and he starts to push them all into the private rooms. "Come on, lads. We have to have a good cry and pack."

Harry sighs leading Louis away, kissing the back of his neck and whispering things to him

\------Six Years Later------

Niall parks the small minivan outside of the familiar brick building turning the radio off and heading inside. He greets the elderly receptionist which he's come to know and befriend opening the gym door to poke his head in seeing a five year old in a black leotard, white leggings, and pink ballet flats. Niall grins widely looking at the tiny girl with long brown hair pulled back into a messy bun and big blue eyes.

"Connelly! Connelly, come on, love."

The girl in question pouts and turns until she sees her daddy. Her eyes light up and her pout quickly turns into a massive grin. "Daddy!" She takes off in a sprint, forgetting that she had no traction on her shoes, and starts to slip before crashing into her daddy's arms. She's laughing loudly and her eyes are shut as her head is thrown back in laughter. "Daddy! Daddy! Daddy! I did a backflip! I did a real backflip!"

"Yeah, you did!" Niall laughs righting her back onto her feet holding her small hand. "Now we need to get your sister from daycare okay?" He waves to the adults heading over to the small daycare. It's great that this building had one in case parents needed to drop their younger kids off if they were staying to watch practice although Niall had to work so he never really could. He gets to the daycare stepping inside where children are running around. Niall looks up at the teacher. "I'm here for Cadence."

The teacher looks up and sighs. "She still has two more minute in time out. Do you want to wait or should I get her out early? She pushed another girl into the blocks and when a boy tried to help the other girl up, she threw blocks at him." The teacher points over to where a small boy had bandaid running across his forearm.

Niall groans. "I'll take her from here. Connelly, wait by the door." He walks into the room squatting down behind the three year old. "Angel?"

Candence furrows her brows and glares up at her daddy. "She deserved it. She was being mean." She crosses her arms and turns her attention to the girl in question. "She said her dress was prettier than mine."

Niall sighs shaking his head. "That doesn't mean you can push her." He leans in close so only she can hear. "Quite frankly, I think your dress is much prettier."

Candence smiles brightly. "Really? She said hers was prettier because her mummy got it for her and that my mummy didn't love me enough to buy me a dress."

Niall sighs kissing her forehead. It's not like their mum was in the picture anymore. "How about I buy you a new dress tomorrow? It'll be better than anyone else's... But you have to stop hitting okay?" He knows if he bought Cadence a dress than he'd have to buy Connelly an outfit which means they'd have to be cheap on groceries this week.

Candence frowns. "Even if they really deserve it? If they deserve it, it's okay."

The teacher heads over. "Candence? Time out is over, sweetie."

"Cadence, would you like it if someone pushed you?" Niall asks picking the small girl up and balancing her on his hip taking Connelly's hand with the arm that he isn't holding Cadence with. "You wouldn't like to be hit. Now let's go home and take a bath, yeah?" He unlocks the minivan letting Connelly climb in since she's 'a big girl' while he went around to buckle his youngest in a car seat.

Cadence frowns and pouts as her daddy puts her in the car and buckles her in. "Why doesn't Connelly have a baby chair? I don't want a baby chair."

"If you stopped being such a baby you wouldn't have to sit in the chair." Connelly shoots back. She's tired of her daddy paying attention to her sister when she gets next to nothing.

"You're too young, Cady. I don't want you getting hurt." He slams the door shut getting into the driver's side.

"Alright, Connelly. I'm getting Cady a new dress would you like a new outfit too?" He smiles back at them. Cadence looked just like her sister but instead her brown hair wasn't in a bun and her eyes were wider and a lighter shade of blue.

Connelly shakes her head no. "Can I get new leotard instead? Lizzie got a new hot pink one and she says it’s the best thing ever!"

Cadence perks up. "Can I do dance, daddy? I saw Miss Tamscott dancing around today and making clicking noises with her feet!"

"If you want a new leotard we can get it for you." Niall promises driving down the street. "Do you want to do dance, baby? What kind of dance?" He asks turning the radio on and of course it's Kiss You by One Direction.

Cadence shrieks. "Daddy! Daddy! Turn it up! Zayn's high notes, daddy!"

"Louis! Louis is shirtless in this video!" Connelly squeals as they both start dancing. "Daddy, if Harry and Louis were dating, would that be okay?"

Niall coughs uncomfortably, turning it up. "I guess whoever he wants to date then he can.” He's seen all of the talk about the two of them dating, but he doesn't care anymore like he used to. Well he cares deep, deep down. "Do you guys want McDonald's?"

"Yes, please!" Connelly shouts as she continues to sing and shout along with the song.

Cadence is merely bopping her head along and yawning as she gets pulled farther into sleep. She hadn't slept through nap time since had been watching her sister do backflips.

Niall drums his fingers along the steering wheel and the end can't come soon enough. Perfect timing too as he pulls into the drive thru ordering two happy meals and something for himself. "So, Connelly, your birthday is coming up and I have a present for you." He didn't want to do it, but he sees his ex plastered all over town anyways.

Connelly perks up. "Present? What is it? Is it a Louis bracelet? A shirt? Braces like his? What, what, what?"

"It's even better." He digs through his glove box holding up three colorful pieces of paper. "Tickets to see their next concert." He hopes she's likes it.

She stares at the papers, not entirely grasping it. It takes a second, but soon she's screeching and squealing and trying to reach her daddy even though she's restrained in her seat. "I love you! This is the best! Are they meet and greet tickets? Are they special tickets? I'm going to see Louis live!"

"They're the expensive kind. You'll get to be in the second row, babe. I couldn't afford meet and greet ones, but I hope you're fine with these." Niall pays for their meals taking the two boxes and his bag in sitting it in the passenger seat while putting the drinks in the cup holder.

He couldn't really afford the regular tickets either, but he wants his daughters to be happy and he doesn't need a laptop so he's happy dipping into the savings for them.

Connelly is squealing again and talking about how she's going to be the coolest girl in first grade. She's so excited. "We need to make pretty posters! I want Louis to notice me and wave!" She claps trying to not to wake her sister up.

"We'll make posters and I'll get the both of you t-shirts okay?" His mum was also more than happy to spoil her granddaughters so she would buy the shirts no problem. "We'll do your hair and I'll take pictures so you can have proof to make the other girls jealous." Niall smirks pulling up in front of their apartment complex.

Connelly nods eagerly and jumps out, opening the passenger door to help her daddy with the food so he could carry Cadence instead of waking her. She's managed to grab everything except the drinks and shuts the door.

"Daddy? Do you think Louis would be nice to me? What if he's mean and doesn't like my poster?"

"He won't be mean sweetie, I promise. Daddy used to be friends with Louis actually." He bites his lip hitching Cadence up while managing to get both small drinks heading up one flight of stairs to their door. Niall sits the cups down unlocking the door to allow his oldest inside.

"You knew Louis?" She sounds enthralled as she heads in the door. "Was he funny? He's really funny. He looks sad though when they talk about his girlfriend."

"I don't know why he would be. He wanted a girl with a genuine personality and a great smile." Niall says if not a little bitterly. He locks the door behind him heading to the girls shared room where One Direction covered their walls. He lays his little girl into her own bed pulling the pink, blue, green, and white quilt his mum crocheted over her body. Niall kisses her temple walking back out into the living and dining room.

Connelly shrugs. "That's why everyone thinks Louis and Harry are dating. Louis gets sad when people talk about Eleanor and Harry is always there to comfort him." She grabs one of the happy meals and sits down at the dining room table to eat. "When is the concert, daddy?"

"It's going to be at the arena by grandma's house." Niall sits down across from her getting his food out to begin eating. "And to answer your earlier question yes, Louis was very funny and very sweet."

"Daddy, we have to thank god for our food!" Connelly smiles as she folds her hands and bows her head.

“Bless us, O Lord, and these Thy gifts, which we are about to receive from Thy bounty, through Christ our Lord. And thank you for Daddy and Cadence and Mammy Maura. I love you, amen." She smiles before grabbing a chicken nugget and dunking it in the sweet and sour sauce.

"I forgot! Thanks for reminding me!" He chuckles going back to eating like he had been. "I love you, Elly." Niall reaches across the table to ruffle her hair.

She beans brightly and eats in silence before she sighs. "Daddy? Why does everyone at school have a mummy but I don't?"

Niall almost chokes on one of his fries. "I... Well you see you're so special I'm your mummy and daddy." He really wants to drop this subject and move on to something else.

Connelly frowns. "But Suzie said her mummy said that you need a mummy and a daddy to be real."

"No, you don't. Suzie is a liar, don't listen to her." He didn't want to tell her the truth until she was much older.

Connelly frowns. "Do I have a mummy at all? I love you, daddy, but I want a mummy so when you're with Cadence I don't get lonely." She says matter of fact like as she chews away at her nuggets.

"Baby, I wish there was two of me, but there isn't. I love you, alright?" He sighs finishing off most of his food. "Don't be sad you're going to see One Direction. I bet Suzie can't go."

Connelly smiles brightly at that and finishes up her meal and her Sprite. "Thanks, daddy."

"It's no problem, beautiful." He stands up tossing his trash away gathering her up in his arms. "Let's take a shower so you won't have to later tonight." Niall heads to her room setting her down so she could find a set of clothes.

Cadence stirs in her sleep before whimpering lightly. She tosses and turns, but doesn't wake up.

"I think she's having a bad dream. She always does that before waking up crying." Connelly tells Niall.

Niall crosses to the other side of the room kneeling down to shake her awake. "Cady, wake up. You need to wake up."

Cadence whimpers a bit more before her eyes fly open and she's clinging to her daddy desperately and crying. "Don't make me go, daddy! I don't want to go with them!"

"What are you talking about, baby?" He's so confused, but he holds her tightly to his chest, rubbing his palm up and down between her shoulder blades.

Cadence shakes her head, unable to speak, and just buries her face in Niall's neck.

"She has a dream where guys in suits come and take her and me away from you and make us live with someone else. She heard Miss Applebom talking about something called Child Services." Connelly supplies helpfully.

Niall's hold tightens. "And why would she talk about that?" He kisses Cadence repeatedly cooing in her ear. "You're not going anywhere it's only a dream alright? Even when you get married you're living with me."

Connelly shrugs. "They were at school. Jordan's dad left him and his mummy and apparently his mummy couldn't pay to keep Jordan."

Cadence starts to calm down a bit. "I don't need a new dress if means you can't pay to keep us."

Niall chuckles. "Oh, love. I can still get you a dress. I may not be rich, but we're not poor."

Cadence looks up at her daddy. "So no men are going to come take me away?"

"No, no one is coming anywhere near you okay? You and your sister are safe." He kisses her forehead picking her up. "You need to go eat lunch. Connelly, are you big enough to take a bath alone? I promise I'll start it."

Connelly lets her shoulders drop at the thought of her daddy leaving her alone so he could help Cadence... Again. "Yeah. I'll be fine."

Cadence claps and wiggles out of Niall's grip and back onto the floor where she's jumping about excitedly. "McDonald's! McDonald's!"

He goes into the bathroom turning the water on. "Make sure to turn it off when it's half full." Niall walks off to serve the three year old her meal.

Cadence is already at the table, trying to climb into her chair and booster seat. She's tried this every day and is never able to do it by herself. One time she had even fallen and hit her head against the table leg. "Daddy, can you help me? I can't do it." She pouts as she's reminded of the fact that she's still a baby.

"Of course." He sits his daughter in the blue plastic buckling her up. Once both of them were situated Niall collapsed onto the couch exhausted.

Cadence munches happily on her burger as she watches her daddy fall onto the couch. "You're silly, daddy. When I'm done, can I go play with Merida? She got a new Barbie car and she said she wants to take me out on a date because that's what her brother did when he got a car."

Niall laughs hard at that. "Baby, her brother did that because he had a special friend, but sure you can go on a date."

Cadence smiles and starts to eat her lunch faster. "Thank you, daddy!"

It was quiet for all of five seconds before a loud thump is heard from the bathroom and a loud shriek emitted. "Daddy!"

"Shit." Niall jogs away from one daughter, who's still strapped in, and into the room. "Babe, what happened?" He kneels in front of the tub ignoring the way the kneecaps of his jeans got wet.

Connelly is crying profusely as she looks up at her dad. "I fell and you were too busy with Cadence to notice."

Niall frowns grabbing a towel around her tiny body to hug close to his body. "I wasn't even in the room how could I have noticed?"

"That's the point! You're always worrying about Cadence. You didn't even want to see my backflip. You wanted to go straight to picking up Cadence." She wails and buries her face in her daddy's shoulder.

"Baby, why didn't you tell me sooner?" He cradles her rocking back and forth. "How about tomorrow I drop Cadence off at grandma's and we'll spend the day together just me and you?" He never wants either of his children to feel neglected.

"Just me and you. Listen though. Cadence is younger and generally she needs more help than you do but you're a big girl. I'll start making days where it's just me and you but you have to understand that I have to pay attention to your sister as well." Niall rolls the sleeve of his shirt up unplugging the bath water.

Connelly nods. "I know. I want to take care of her, but I'm too little and then when I still need help you're with Cadence." She snuggles tighter into her towel and looks up at her father. "I just don't want you to forget me."

"I could never forget you." Niall kisses her forehead a few times sighing against her skin.

Connelly smiles and runs off to her and her sister's shared room to get dressed.

Cadence is shouting from the dining room. "Daddy! I need down! I'm done! Daddy!"

Niall sighs getting back to his youngest unbuckling her seatbelt for her holding her for a moment, putting her onto the carpet.

"Will you come to Merida's with me? I don't want to walk down the street all alone." Cadence pouts not wanting to go without her daddy.

"I'll walk you baby, but I'm not going to stay." He leaves for a moment to find Connelly. "Hey ,love, your sister wants me to walk her to Merida's. Come with me and we'll be able to spend some time together."

Connelly nods and finishes getting dressed before pulling her long brunette hair up into a ponytail. "Can we get frozen yogurt? Suzie says it’s healthier and that I can lose weight by eating that instead of ice cream."

Niall laughs. "You're five. If anything you're supposed to gain weight, not lose it. If you really want frozen yogurt though we can get some."

Connelly frowns. "Daddy, I weigh eighteen kilo! That's too much!" She huffs and slips her shoes on before heading out to where Cadence was waiting in the living room.

He follows after her scooping her up, tugging her shirt up to blow on her stomach. "You don't need to lose weight. Look how tiny your tummy is!"

Connelly shrieks and laughs in hysterics. "Daddy! Put me down!"

Cadence laughs and claps. "Me next, daddy! Me next!"

Niall gets on the ground trapping Connelly while he grabbed Cadence to lay them next to each other, his fingers tickling at they're ribs and stomachs while he laughed loudly. "Oh, no! It's the tickle monster!"

Both girls are laughing and squealing and trying to get free. "Stop it, daddy!" Their laughter increases and Connelly manages to wiggle away far enough to escape. She does a small battle cry before jumping on her daddy's back.

Niall laughs falling back onto his stomach minding that he didn't land on them. "Oh no! Oh no, someone help me!"

Cadence, thinking her daddy was in real danger, quickly gets up and hits at her sister. "Stop! You're hurting daddy! Stop!"

Connelly frowns and pushes her sister back. "No, I'm not! You're being mean!"

"Hey!" He separates them from each other alternating glaring between the both of them.

"Cadence, your sister wasn't hurting me. If you want to go to Merida's then you need to apologize to her right now."

Cadence pouts and turns to glare at her sister. "Sorry for hitting you, Connelly."

The older of the two crosses her arms and sniffs condescendingly. "Apology accepted."

"Alright now both of you get your shoes on. Oh, and your jackets; it's cold today." Niall stands up taking out a tiny people coat for Cadence and a sea green hoodie for Connelly handing both of them over. "Oh yeah, Cadence, guess what? We're going to go see One Direction in concert. Zayn might see you."

Connelly slips her hoodie on and retires her one shoe that's come undone. "Yeah. And Louis might see me!"

Cadence is happy once more as Niall helps her with her shoes and jacket. "Daddy, who's your favourite?"

"Uh, Liam..." Niall doesn't know but one thing's for sure, Louis is not his favorite. He picks both of them up enjoying the way they giggle at how strong he is. Niall leaves the building with a smile on his face.

Merida catches sight of her friend and waves emphatically. "Cadence! Come on! We're going to an Italian food place for our date!"

Cadence giggles and tries to get down from her daddy's arms. "Can I go on my date, daddy?"

He laughs putting her down. "Yeah, have fun on your date, don't come back with a baby, use protection." He teases knowing she wouldn't understand what he said.

Once she's in the little Barbie car and driving off to her back yard, Connelly smiles brightly. "Frozen yogurt time!"

"Yeah, yeah time to spoil you." He stops to talk to Merida's mum to make sure that everything is alright before leaving with Connelly situated on his hip.

Connelly lays her head on Niall's shoulder and holds him tight around the neck. "Can we stop to get cereal too? We're out of berry crunch."

"You know I'm not made of money." He sighs snuggling his nose into her shoulder watching where he was walking back to their home to retrieve the minivan.

"But what will we eat for breakfast?" She pouts and looks up at him.

"Eggs?" He shrugs his shoulders helping the tiny girl into one of the middle seats in the car while he got in himself.

Connelly sighs. "But I hate eggs. Why do we never have enough money for everything?" She doesn't understand why all her friends have better and prettier things.

"Well, daddy doesn't make a lot of money." He hates it just as much if not more than his daughters. He wants to be able to give them the world, but he can't.

Connelly looks out the window and thinks about how to fix their problems. "Maybe I could get a job and bring money home like you do."

"You're too young. You have to be old like me. I promise, one day I'll be able to buy you everything you want." Niall turns into the parking lot of the super market.

"I love you, daddy. We don't have to get a new leotard if it costs too much. We can save the money for food or new shoes for Cadence since her feet are too big for her sneakers." Connelly smiles brightly, hoping her daddy would understand. "And we don't need frozen yogurt, I guess. We can get cereal instead. That way Cadence will have something for breakfast."

Niall reaches behind to squeeze her knee. "I love you too. I'll still get you the yogurt, but if you use that pouty face I'm sure grandma will give you a new leotard."

Niall wonders how he got blessed with two wonderful kids all the time. He helps her out walking her inside the market place.

Connelly nods and latches onto his hand tightly. She had gotten lost once before and it had been so scary for her. She vowed she'd never let it happen again. "Okay. Should we still get cereal?" She walks past a display and stops. "Daddy! We have to get cereal! We could win a chance to meet One Direction!" She points excitedly at the box.

Niall rolls his eyes. These sweepstakes were always rigged, but he takes it off the shelf anyways letting her carry it. "Can't believe they're on a cereal box. Does God hate me?" He shakes his head in annoyance.

She furrows her brows as she looks up at her daddy. "God doesn't hate anyone. He loves everyone, even the sinners. That's what you told me, daddy."

"I didn't mean he hates me it's just a figure of speech. Something you say if something bad happens to you." He shrugs his shoulders drifting down the aisles to retrieve milk and bread.

Connelly shrugs and follows after her daddy until they have everything and they've checked out. The clock reads three o'four and Connelly wonders if they'll have time to watch a movie before Cadence comes back home.

"Daddy? Can we watch Peter Pan? He's my favourite!" She asks excitedly.

"Anything you want." He hitches the plastic bag in one hand while he tugged his daughter back towards the car. He squeezes her tiny hand finding comfort in the warmth.

\------------

Niall closes the book he had been reading kissing both of them on the forehead. "Night my angels, I love you." He flicks the light off making his way down the short hallway to his bedroom. He stripped to his underwear and a t-shirt in case one of the girls would need him curling up in his empty (lonely) bed falling off the edge of consciousness relatively fast.

It's not until eleven pm when the storm begins. The thunder claps, the lightning flashing and brightening up the entire sky.

Cadence is the first to awake, whimpering and crying. She gets out of her bed and shakes her sister awake and crawls up into bed with her.

They're fine for a few minutes. When another clap of thunder sounds and the lightning flashes, both girls scream and cower under the covers of the bed. "Don't worry. Daddy will protect us." Connelly says through her tears as she hugs her sister close.

Niall sits up, but when he listens he's met with silence. "Fucking hearing things." He shakes his head lying back down hoping to fall back to sleep.

Another clap of thunder and lightning bolt later, Cadence is screaming at crying at the top of her lungs and Connelly is curled around her sister in the best comforting position she can muster as she's shaking in fear. This storm is the worst she can remember, but she couldn't move to get her daddy.

Cadence keeps wailing, sometimes calling for her father or just choking on her sobs. She feels physically sick and is almost ready to puke because she's so upset.

This time Niall knows he's not imagining anything. He stumbles into their room turning the light on. "What's going on?" He rubs at his eyes concerned, but groggy. He could barely function, but he still managed to do it.

Connelly throws the comforter to the ground and they're both running over to him as quick as they can. "Can we sleep in your bed, Daddy? We're scared of the storm."

Cadence nods as her sobs become muffled in his thigh. "Too loud. Too bright."

"Yeah, come on." He's able to pick them both up heading to his room. "How about I sing to you?" Niall yawns closing the curtains before getting into the middle of the mattress.

They both curl up against his sides and nod. They loved hearing their daddy sing since he wouldn't do it very often. "Just make the scary go away."

Niall wraps an arm around each of their small bodies staring up at the ceiling. "Don't try to make me stay or ask if I'm okay, I don't have the answer. Don't make me stay the night or ask if I'm alright, I don't have the answer."

Cadence starts to calm down and fall asleep to her daddy's soothing voice.

Connelly on the other hand listens and tries to place where she's heard this song before.

"But if I go now, then I'm on my own tonight and I might never know the answer. Heartache doesn't last forever I'll say I'm fine, midnight ain't no time for laughing when you say goodbye." Niall hadn't sang his song in years, but it doesn't hurt as much to do so anymore.

The storm is still going on but it sounds like it started to slowly die out.

"Daddy? Who wrote that song? That's the song Louis sang at his X factor audition." Connelly asks, half asleep.

"Well.. Remember when I said Louis and daddy were friends? I wrote that song for him." He swallows the lump in his throat rubbing his knuckles together.

Connelly sifts a bit to look up at her father. "But it's about kissing and being in love."

Niall groans closing his eyes. "Yeah, that's because daddy and Louis were in love."

She frowns. "But what about Louis and Eleanor? Is this another one of your jokes?"

"No, it's not. We really did love each other, but Louis really hurt me. You know how you were hurt when I didn't pay attention to you? He did the same thing, but he also did the worse thing possible. He lied to daddy and made him cry a lot." Niall can't stop talking feeling all his words coming out of his mouth like word vomit.

Connelly looks down at the sheets as she tries to process everything. "So... Do you get sad when I talk about Louis? I can stop."

"No! No, I want you to be able to talk about whatever you want. It doesn't hurt anymore." He squeezes her shoulder mumbling against her hair. "Go to bed, Elly." Niall yawns his eyes slipping shut.

She nods and tries to fall asleep to sound of her daddy's breathing.

\------------

Maura sigh as she watches another giant pile of glitter end up on her table. "Cadence, let's get the glitter over the poster." She softly took her grand baby's wrist and shook the glitter over the glue that was drying.Soon enough, Zayn's name was spelled out in big bright sparkly letters. "There we go!"

Connelly was having her daddy help her cut out a comic book action panel to glue on her board, but also write Louis' name in big cursive letters. "Do you think Louis will like it, daddy?"

"I know he'll like it babe." Niall promises taking a black sharpie uncapping the marker.

Cadence giggles slapping her small hands into the pile of blue sparkles watching it fly everywhere. "Glitter, glitter!"

Connelly laughs as she picks up a small amount and sprinkles in over her sister's hair. "Look, Cady! Fairy dust! You can fly!"

Maura sighs. "I'll be finding glitter for weeks in my carpet."

Cadence jumps in the air, sticking her arms out and running around the room imitating an airplane.

Niall stifles his own laugh. "Sorry about that mum. I'll vacuum for you."

Maura smiles and shakes her head. "No, love. It's fine. I want you to take your daughters out for a nice dinner before coming home and putting them to bed."

Cadence climbs onto the sofa and into Maura's lap cupping the older woman's face. "Grammy! Daddy got me a new dress! It's blue and white and has a yellow bow! It's beautiful! Daddy said you paid for it!" She sighs happily kissing Maura's cheek. "Thank you!"

Maura smiles and kisses at the girl's cheek. "Anything for my babies. Actually, that reminds me. Connelly, I got you a present too."

Connelly forgets the poster and curls up beside her Grammy. "What is it?"

"Niall? Can you go get the pink box off my bed please?" Maura asks her son.

Niall hops up heading upstairs to grab the box sitting in the middle of the bed. He grabs it shaking it curiously while he brought it down handing it over to his mum. "Here."

Cadence bounces in her lap. "Can I open it? Can I, Grammy?"

Maura smoothed down the youngest's hair and shakes her head. "This is Connelly's present. You already got a present."

Connelly shyly takes the box and begins to open in, wondering what it was. "Grammy! This is exactly what I wanted! Thank you, thank you, thank you!" She pulls out a brand new, light blue leotard. The sleeves were gone and the back was a mess of laced up strings, but it was beautiful and in exactly the right shade of colour.

Niall grins widely. "Mum, you didn't have to do that." He really wanted Connelly to have it, but he knows leotards could be pricey and he didn't want his mum to feel obligated.

Cadence begins to cry crossing her arms in a huff. "I want a lee-tard!"

Connelly looks over at her sister. "You're not in gymnastics! But you can have my first leotard. It could probably fit you."

"Cadence, you got a dress and Connelly got a leotard. I think that's fair." Maura says sternly to the littlest child.

"No, I want that one!" She cries pointing at the blue one.

Niall groans shaking his head. "Cady, no you can't have it. Maybe if you go into dance, but that's your sister's."

Connelly smiles and gets up from beside her Grammy. "I'm going to try it on! Then I can show you my bridge and my split!" She races down the hall to the bathroom to quickly change.

Maura gathers Cadence in her lap and stares sternly at the girl. "Cadence Brenna Horan, you better stop right now. You got a dress and your sister got a leotard. Everything is equal. You hear me?"

Cadence continues to throw her tantrum, tears streaming down her face as she cried as loud as possible.

"That's it." Niall gathers the tiny toddler standing her in the corner.

Connelly come back down the hall with a giant smile on her face. "It fits perfectly! I only want to wear this for competitions, daddy." She spins in a slow circle trying to make sure Niall got a good look at her. "And look! I can do a bridge!" She bends backwards touching her palms to the floor and smiling brightly her father.

"That's amazing!" He’s next Cadence to stand near his oldest. He could only remember his mum's reaction when he told her he was going to be a father.

\-------------

Niall nervously steps into the entryway quietly shutting the door. His voice starts shaking as he speaks. "M-Mum?" He wraps his arms around his body feeling his stomach twist in knots.

Maura steps from the kitchen with a dish in one hand and a towel in the other. "Darling, you're back earlier than I expected. I thought you were Laura today?" She wipes at the water droplets running down the plate. "Are you okay? You look ready to puke."

Niall starts to sway from side to side before he sits heavily on the coffee table to settle his stomach. "I... Mum I'm so sorry." He breaks down into tears hiding his face in his palms.

Maura is there next to him trying to get a feel for his temperature. "What's wrong, love? Are you feeling okay? Are you hurt? Niall, baby, talk to me."

"No, oh my god, please don't be disappointed." He looks up at her tears rolling down his cheeks. "Laura's pregnant." He chokes on another sob.

The dish Maura had been holding falls and shatters as the words process. "She's... Yours? No doubt about it?" She pulls back and looks over him. "Are... Are you one hundred percent sure that it's your baby?"

"Yes, I'm sure! I wouldn't be sitting here crying if I wasn't sure!" He starts to hyperventilate, his chest constricting and it's hard to breathe.

Maura lets a shaky breath out before pulling her son into her arms. "It's okay. We're going to be okay. Don't worry. I'm not mad. You just made a mistake, that's all. It's okay. Calm down."

Niall throws his arms around her waist burying his nose into her neck. "It's just..." His voice starts to crack. "Laura knows I've been feeling depressed since Louis left and she said she knew how to take my mind off of it. I'm so sorry."

Maura can't help the tears that fall and hit him as she tries to hold herself together for her son. "It's okay. There's nothing to apologise for. We're going to get through this and love this child so much. It's going to be okay. I promise you."

"I'm going to be completely ostracized by the church." He wails his entire body shaking.

Maura swallows the lump in her throat. "I know, baby. Unless you talk Laura into marriage, but neither of you are ready for that." She tries to think of some way to keep this all a secret. She knows how important Niall's faith is to him. "We can try and fool the church? Laura just would have to go along with it."

"I don't think she would." Niall cries latching back onto her. He just needs someone to hold him.

She holds him tightly, knowing that the son just needs love and care at this point. "You need to go to confession then."

"Alright I will." He wipes at his wet eyes sniffling.

Maura kisses the top of his head and continues to hold him. "I'll be with you every step of the way. I'm actually really excited to be a grandmother.

"Really?" He looks up at her in disbelief. There's no way she could be okay with any of this.

She sighs heavily. "I've always wanted grandchildren. It's a bit earlier than I expected and I am disappointed that you're sexually active before marriage, but I'm not going to turn away my own son and grandchild."

"I love you so much." He launches himself off the couch to hug the shorter woman do tightly their bodies are pressed together, a piece of loose leaf paper wouldn't be able to fit between them.

Maura laughs and holds him tightly. "I love you too. I always will."

"I know the baby will love you too." He kisses her head a few times smiling through the tears.

\------------

The second time is a little easier but he feels like his mum would be more so disappointed.

Niall enters the living room smiling when he sees Connelly stumbling around the room with a lack of finesse, needing to get used to moving on her legs. "Was she a good girl?" He leans against the arm of the couch watching her toddle about.

Maura looks up from where she's sitting on the floor, trying to get Connelly to walk towards her without falling. "Perfect angel, like always."

When the small girl makes it to her arms, Maura scoops her up and kisses and praises her. "Hard to think she's two and four months. It seems like only yesterday you were telling me about Laura's pregnancy."

"Yeah..." He lets his voice trail off watching the tiny baby.

Connelly giggles gnawing at her grandma's shoulder, slobbering all over her shirt sleeve.

Maura looks up, concern written on her entire face. "Are you okay? You don't sound so okay. Did something happen at work?"

He shakes his head sinking low on the couch. "It's... It's happening again."

She frowns and moves with Connelly to sit down next to her son and places Connelly in his lap. "What is? A lot has happened, babe."

Connelly claps her hands laughing. She's such a happy baby she clearly came from Niall.

Niall, on the other hand, isn't smiling or laughing. "Connelly's going to have a sibling."

Maura's can feel her face drain of colour. "Niall..." She doesn't really know what to say. "Laura or Amy?" She knows that her son has been trying to be serious with Amy, and with the custody drop offs for Connelly, Laura and Niall had been getting close again.

"Laura." He breaks down into tears again clutching his daughter tightly.

Maura closes her eyes and buries her face in her hands. "Niall, what are you doing? Why would you do that again? Connelly is perfect and amazing, but you weren't ready for her." She runs a hand through the blonde mess atop her head. "Niall, we have no room. Where is the child going to go? The three of us is a tight fit, what about a new baby?"

"I-I'll move out. I refuse to be anything, but an active part of this child's life." He's still crying hard his breath ragged.

Connelly frowns reaching up to wipe his tears away with her tiny hands. "Dada."

Maura sighs. "You know I'll support you. I love you and Connelly more than life itself and this new addition will be no different."

"I love you, mum." He leans against her smiling sadly staring at his pride and joy.

Connelly reaches up pulling Niall's lips up giggling when it looks like he's smiling.

"Love you too." She smiles softly and thinks about all the money they had bed setting aside for Connelly's college fund. It's all going to have to go towards finding a place for her son and children.

Connelly tries climbing off only to fall to the ground crying when she hit her head on the ground.

"Elly! Oh, sweetheart." Maura reaches down and picks the girl up and holds her close.

Connelly cuddles into her grandma crying loudly.

Maura sighs. “At least you can save money on a water bill by bathing them together.”

Niall frowns rubbing at her back cooing. He isn't sure if he could do this with two children. "Yeah, if the baby is a girl." He shrugs taking the child back into his arms.

Maura frowns. "My parents bathed me and my brother together until he was eight and I was six. Then again, my family was dirt poor and could barely afford running water." She laughs and gets up, moving into the kitchen. "I'll get her dinner ready and then start on ours."

"Thanks, mum, you're the best." He smiles up at her going back to fawning over his baby who's calmed down a lot.

\------------

Maura claps excitedly as she watches her granddaughter arch her back. "Now how do you get out of it?"

Connelly smiles brightly as she uses the momentum and slant of her body to swing her legs over and complete a backflip.

"Great job!" Niall claps his hands excitedly scooping her up to plant kisses all over her heart shaped face. "I think we'll put these posters away for tomorrow seeing as the concert is tomorrow night." He grins letting her stand.

Connelly jumps a bit excitedly and goes over to her sister in the corner and hugs her tightly. "We're going to see One Direction tomorrow! Daddy! Can I wear my leotard and a skirt to the concert?"

"Baby, you need to wear a proper outfit. What about that Louis shirt you have?" He raises an eyebrow crossing his arms knee over the other.

Connelly pouts, but nods. "Okay. That seems fair. Are you excited, daddy?"

Maura looks up questioningly as well. She was surprised when her son had told her that he was willingly going to watch Louis perform.

"Yeah, I want you both to be happy. Cady, you can come out now." Niall looks over at the little one still standing in the corner.

Cadence runs out flinging herself into his arms clutching his neck.

Maura watches the small family with a fond smile. She couldn't wait to see what the future held for them.

\------------

"And we danced all night to the best song ever!" The radio is on full blast both girls singing at the top of their lungs dressed up in their outfits just for the concert.

Niall sighs as he finally turns into the packed parking lot speeding up to get a spot before another family could smiling even if the mother flipped him off. He turns the radio down to speak. "Are the two of you ready?"

The two girls squeal and Connelly starts to unbuckle her sister. "Come on, Cadence! One Direction time!"

Cadence grabs her sister's hand at exits the van looking at the venue in wonder. She starts to loosen her grip on Connelly's hand and starts to head towards the giant screen with the boy's music videos playing on them.

"Baby, hold on!" Niall calls after her, taking Cadence's hand then Connelly's leading them towards the loud venue and into the crowd. He takes a moment to flash the tickets entering the packed arena. It takes twenty minutes with all the talking and screams of excitement but they make it to the second row so close to the stage.

Cadence looks around at notices a girl with food and her stomach growls loudly. "Daddy, I'm hungry. Can we get nuggets?"

"No, love we have to wait until after the show. Besides you said you weren't hungry before we left." He sighs letting go of their hands trusting them both to stay in their seats.

Connelly looks around and tugs on her daddy's shirt. "Get we get a program? That way I can take it to show and tell?"

"Of course! You two stay right here and don't move." Niall leaves the seats in search of a bouncer handing out programs.

Connelly turns to the girl next to her and they strike up a conversation about the boys. They're squealing so loudly that Connelly doesn't notice Cadence get up and wander away.

Cadence wanders every which way trying to find her daddy to ask for something to drink at least. When she can't find him, she starts to freak out a little. She spots a security guard (Niall had made sure the girls knew what their uniforms were in case they got separated) and pulls his sleeve. "Daddy?"

Paul looks down in confusion seeing a little girl. "I'm sorry, darling. I'm not your daddy."

Cadence starts to tear up. "I just want daddy so I can see Zayn! Connelly gets to see Louis. I just want daddy and Zayn."

Paul's eyebrows shot up. That must mean her family is backstage. "Alright let's go find your father." He picks the little girl up settling her on his hip walking up the staircase. Paul heads around the curtains knocking on the boy's dressing rooms.

Louis opens his door and the other three come spilling out as well. "Paul! Who's the kid? Did you have another little child and not tell anyone?"

Cadence's eyes widen. "Zayn! Zayn! You're my favourite! Connelly likes Louis though. Daddy sings her Louis' audition song over and over."

Paul frowns. "I think this little one is lost."

Zayn grins gently taking her from Paul. She's probably the most beautiful child he's seen, the porcelain skin, naturally flushed cheeks, mahogany hair, and big blue eyes. "I'm glad I'm your favorite. Love, what's your name?"

"Cadence Brenna Horan. My sister's name is Connelly Aiofe Horan and likes Louis." She smiles and pats Zayn's cheek and twists her fingers in his quiff.

Louis frowns. "Horan? Where are you from? Doncaster?"

She nods happily. "Daddy said he went to school with you before you left to go to find a flat in London."

Harry shoots Louis a look hoping he wouldn't assume just yet. "What's your daddy's name?"

The small girl frowns. "His name is daddy."

Another security guard comes up to the door. "Paul, we have a frantic father looking for his daughter. Have we seen a little girl running around? She's about three and is wearing a Zayn shirt?"

Zayn holds her up slightly. "Yeah, we found her right here." He smiles at the toddler knowing she didn't learn names yet.

Louis held his hand up. "Bring him and his other daughter backstage. I want to get to know our most adorable fans."

Liam furrows his brows. "Are we sure that's a good idea? We have a show in an hour."

Connelly looks around before her eyes land on the five boys staring at her daddy. "Louis! Daddy! Daddy! It's Louis! And Harry! Leeyum!"

Louis stares at the male holding the three year old now. The hair and the eyes... He knows those eyes. "N-Niall?"

Niall worries his bottom lip between his teeth. "Yeah... Uh, hi."

Zayn looks between the two of them realizing that this is the infamous Niall.

Liam catches the tension and clears his throat. "Harry, Zayn, let's take the girls around and give them a tour of backstage."

Connelly lets go of her daddy's hand and takes Liam's hand in hers. Cadence wiggles from her father's grasp until Harry and Zayn both have a grasp of her hands.

Harry shoots everyone a look taking both children and leaving the group a few members short.

Niall shifts uncomfortably feeling it hard to breathe. Louis is right there, looking better than he did a few years ago. "I'll leave don't want to ruin anything."

"No!" Louis says a bit loudly and a bit quickly. "Um, I think need to talk about what happened." He scuffs his tie against the linoleum. "Um, kids? Didn't think that would ever happen. Who's, uh, who's the mum?"

Niall rubs at the back of his neck still startled by Louis' outburst. "Ah, you remember Laura?" Louis never really liked her, always told Niall that she was just trying to get into his pants.

"Oh, yeah. So she at home then? Didn't even realise you all got married and had kids." Louis mumbles quietly. He chanced a look up at the blond and let his eyes do a quick once over. "You look really good."

"I'm not married. Doing the whole single parent thing." Niall shrugs feeling blood rush to his face. "You know, I'm not in the mood for this nice bullshit." He suddenly snaps his body going rigid with anger.

Louis sighs and rolls his eyes. "Here we go. Want to tell me how exceptionally rude I am? Or are you going to tell me how hard you've had it?" He crosses his arms over his chest and glares at the slightly taller boy. "Will I get a chance to explain what really happened or are we just listening to your delusions?"

"Oh fuck off, Louis." Niall rolls his eyes but he stays silent if not slightly glaring. He's still absolutely pissed. "I can tell you really cared about me all things considered you have a girlfriend and here I thought you took it up the arse."

Louis sighs. "Delusions it is then. Go on then, tell me everything I did wrong. Tell me that telling the boys when we first met that I was gay and had a boyfriend back home was the absolute worst thing to do."

"When you said you were single you could have given me a heads up! You may have been told to say it but you could have warned me. Oh that's right you never texted me. I understand that you're busy, but an 'I love you' isn't asking for much since I started to sincerely doubt you loved me!" He shakes his head feeling vulnerable again. "Again good luck with your life, Louis." Niall walks off in search of his daughters.

"You're such a fucking dumbass. Like, do you like to be the victim all the time?" Louis shouts at him. "You have no fucking clue what it's like to have to hide who you are to ensure that my best mates have a job. You don't know how fucking disgusting it is to have to lie to the people who idolise you. I've ruined the last five years of Eleanor's life because she can't look for a guy who will actually marry her and because my fans hate her. I don't want to hear about your fucked up life when you have two daughters who love you and only want to see you happy."

"I don't know what it's like to hide? Are you fucking kidding me! I had to hide the fact that we were together! I couldn't be happy in front of other people! And my life isn't fucked up? I have two kids and I'm barely twenty five! I was drunk every fucking day after we broke off, but you don't care about that. You've made it clear that no matter how much I want to talk to you about my feelings you're going to accuse me of being the victim." He shakes his head angry tears spilling down his cheeks. "I'm glad we broke up. I'm fucking happy." Niall storms away finding both of his children in a spare dressing room.

Connelly is laughing hysterically as she smears lipstick across Harry's face. "You're pretty now!"

Cadence is doing the same to Liam and having a much harder time controlling her hand movements. "Liam? Do you like it? I tried to make you pretty, but my hand slipped."

Harry laughs looking at the smeared makeup in a vanity mirror.

Liam nods his head. "Yeah, it looks great. You did a great job, better than our stylist Lou."

Niall leans against the door. "Girls, come on. We need to go watch the concert then go home."

Then both pout and look over at their father. "But I didn't get to meet Louis! And he's my favourite!" Connelly exclaims.

"Yeah! And I didn't get to do Zaynie's makeup!" Cadence whines. "Please, daddy! Can we just stay with them? Please, please, please!"

"No, you guys. You got to meet them now let's go." Niall picks Cadence up settling her onto his hip.

Louis is behind him then, hand resting on his shoulder. "There's still forty-five minutes till the show. Let them stay here, maybe get something to eat, and the boys can play with them. We aren't finished talking."

Connelly brightens up. "Yeah! Cadence said she was hungry and it was rather boring just sitting there. Please, daddy?"

"Don't touch me." Niall glares stepping away from the hand on him. "I'll let them stay here... If I don't have to talk to you. Wouldn't want to be a victim anymore." He rolls his eyes turning his back to the older boy.

Louis huffs. "The whole point in them staying here is so we can talk. No yelling, no accusations, just talking. I think we need that. We need to sit down and have a chat."

Zayn nods. "Don't want to butt in, mate, but I think there's definitely a reason you guys met up again after all this time."

"No one asked you." Niall snaps venomously unconsciously holding Cadence tighter to his chest.

Cadence frowns and crosses her arms over her nonexistent chest. "Daddy, that was rude. Where are your manners? You said we never talk to people like that."

"Cadence, not now!" He groans walking over to pick Connelly up.

Connelly frowns. "Daddy, why are you being so mean? You were so excited to be here and now you're just being mean and not letting us have fun."

"Connelly, stop it seriously or we can leave now." He threatens narrowing his eyes.

The girls fall silent and stare over at the boys with puppy dog eyes. "Bye-bye," is all Cadence can manage.

Zayn waves back sadly and steps forward to kiss each of the girl's cheeks. "We'll have ice cream back here after the show if you want to say goodbye before you leave."

Niall thinks it over. "We can come back and say goodbye and you girls can have ice cream." He shoots Louis a look. "We'll say goodbye because I'm sure they're extremely busy. Too busy to text, but then they'll be gone and we can return to normal."

Louis rolls his eyes and heads away, pulling his phone from his pocket as he goes. "See you later then."

Liam sighs and kisses both girls on the forehead and gives Niall a quick nod. "I'll see you lot after the show."

"Yeah." Niall walks off balancing both girls on his hips.

Connelly won't even look at her father. She's so angry with him right now. When One Direction asks you to stay backstage you say yes.

Cadence, unsure if how to act, copies her sister by staring at the floor. Until, "Daddy, my butt is vibrating."

Niall can't help the laugh waiting until they're in their seats and Cadence is in his lap before getting his cellphone out. He doesn't recognize the number, but he opens the text anyways.

'Niall, you said I was ignoring your texts? Well fuck that. I was working my ass off to get as much shit done for that damn competition as possible. I ended up having to give my phone to Savan to ensure that I wouldn't fuck everyone else over and not practice. I'm sorry that I put something you wanted me to do before you, but at least I would have been able to provide for us when it was all said and done. Another thing, the boys all knew about you and were completely fine with you. It was the producers' idea to keep my sexuality a secret. I didn't want to. I fully prepared to tell national television that I was happily dating you. I hope you realise that I never stopped loving you. Yes, at points, I didn't want to ever see you again, but I love you too much for this stupid fighting.'

Niall's jaw clenched. He slowly types out a message and it takes longer than he thought. 'We'll talk after the show.'

'Fine. I have to go. Getting into positions for the start of the concert.'

Niall slips his phone back into his pocket standing up, while having the girls stand on their seats ready to help hold up the posters they made.

\------------

"Thank you, London!" Zayn yells into his mic.

The crowd screams and Cadence bounces up and down on her daddy's shoulders. She waves her poster proudly hoping he can see the excess glitter everywhere.

Louis steps up beside him and smiles and the small girl before pointing her out to Zayn who then smiles brightly and blows her a kiss. "Last song of the night is dedicated to the two cutest girls on the planet. We met them before the show- Connelly and Cadence Horan. Girls, this song is for you."

The opening riff to What Makes You Beautiful begins to play. Niall grins, bouncing Cadence on his shoulders while shaking Connelly hoping they paid attention to the boys saying their names. It warms his heart that they would mention them.

The manage the first verse and chorus when Zayn and Louis head down to the edge of the stage and stare straight at the small girls as they sing.

"So, c-c'mon! You got it wrong. To prove I'm right I put Cadence in a s-o-ong!" Zayn belts out before turning to Louis.

The blue eyes boy smiles and waves at the girls. "I don't know why you're being shy. Connelly, don't turn away when I look you in the e-e-eyes!"

He laughs trying to look up at his youngest daughter turning to his oldest. Both of them were in awe screaming and giggling when they heard their names.

Harry stands in front of them, microphone held up to his lips. "Everyone else in the room can see it, everyone else but Niall!"

Louis smiles wider and starts to jump around the stage as they continued with the chorus. "Cadence, you light up my world like nobody else! Con'ly, when you flip your hair get me overwhelmed! When Niall smiles at the ground it ain't hard to tell, you don't know-oh-oh, that's what makes you beautiful."

Liam clapped out the beat to the next section as he sang. "Na, na, na, na, na, na, na, Niall! Na, na, na, na, Niall!"

Zayn laughs and copies him. "Na, na, na, na, na, na, na, Niall! Na, na, na, na, Niall!"

Niall blushes red looking at the ground. The rest of the song is filled with their names as they sing the classic hit.

The song ends and the four boys jump off the stage into the trap doors on the stage floor. They quickly wipe the sweat from their bodies and head into the main dressing room where seven bowls and spoon waited for them along with every topping for ice cream one could think of.

"I hope the girls like vanilla, chocolate, or strawberry." Louis says biting his lip. "Oh, and I'm going to ask that you keep the girls busy again. Niall agreed to talk to me."

Harry grins, wiping the sweat from his brow turning serious a second later. "Dude, what do you think about him having not just one but two kids? Honestly what was your initial reaction to that?"

Louis sighs as he grabs a water bottle and downs half of it. "Shock... Then anger... Then complete and utter sadness."

Liam frowns. "I'm sure he wasn't expecting to just have two kids. It wasn't planned, there was no wedding band."

Harry nods his head. "Completely natural reactions, but why anger?"

"Because when we discussed our sexuality with each other, we both had no interest in girls at all. I just... Why would he lie to me about something like that? Also, I really want to know who the mum is and if she's still in the picture." Louis sighs heavily. "I don't know. Maybe I'm just crazy."

"I thought he told you it was some girl named Laura?" Harry had been there when he heard the confession from the Irishman.

Louis sighs. "I'm really hoping he's lying about that. He knows how much I disliked her. She was always trying to get in his pants."

"Well looks like she did it." Harry uncaps his water bottle drinking half of it in one go.

Louis is about to retort when he hears squealing girls and the sound of running. Soon enough the door bursts open and the Horan family is standing there.

Connelly and Cadence are all smiles as they run into the room and latch on to one of the boys. "I really, really liked the last song!"

Zayn laughs looking down at Cadence. "We're glad! You two really are beautiful! And your father isn't so bad himself."

Niall rolls his eyes, but beams down at his daughters tossing their homemade posters on the ground.

Connelly beams up at their father and starts trying to see onto the table to see the ice cream.

Liam laughs and goes to get the cold treat from security. When he comes back everyone wants to be first.

Louis smiles and moves over to stand next to Niall. "Hey. Can we go somewhere a bit more private?"

"Sure." Niall follows after the older male until they're in that spare dressing room. He awkwardly sits on the couch crossing his legs.

"So..." Louis sighs and runs a hand through his sweaty, disgusting fringe. "Is there anything you want me to explain? I mean, what do you want to know first?" He sits on the makeup counter, facing Niall. His feet swing as they can't touch the ground and he's leaning back on his arms to support his weight. "Better yet, where do you want me to start?"

Niall groans. "What I really want to know is if you are right then what? If I forgive you what do you expect to change?"

Louis shrugs. "I don't know. We have off coming up. I was planning on going up to Donny and get some time with my family. If you're still there, maybe we could try the whole... Dating thing again." He really wants to get back with Niall and he's done playing around with these stupid games. "I'll tell management that I want to come out, if they say no I leave the band. That's how much I miss you."

Niall looks towards the ground leaning against the armrest of the couch. "Louis, I don't know if you've noticed, but I have two kids."

The older male frowns. "So? I already love them. I'm not seeing how this could be a problem. I'd spoil them rotten actually."

"You would be fine with two kids? I don't want you coming into their life just to leave." He sighs running his fingers through his hair.

Louis hops off the counter coming to kneel down between Niall's knees and rest his hands on the boy's thighs. "I can't say one hundred percent that we'd last forever because I can't see the future, but I have a good feeling about us."

Niall flushes. "You look like you're going to give me a blowjob."

Louis laughs and leans down press a kiss to Niall's thighs. "Don't tempt me. I missed you so much."

Niall squirms slightly feeling tears rolling down his flushed cheeks. "I missed you too."

Louis smiles and pushes himself up until their lips connect and his hands dig a bit into the blond's thighs. "Do you remember the last time we saw each other?"

"Yeah, we fucked." Niall chuckles breathlessly using the back of his hand to wipe his tears away.

Louis laughs. "Yeah, we did. It was amazing if I remember correctly." He presses a soft kiss to the boy's mouth. "Can you believe that was the last time I've had sex?"

"Seriously?" He raises an eyebrow in surprise running his hand along Louis' jaw. "Thought you'd be sleeping with all the pretty boys and girls you see."

Louis shakes his head. "Don't really have an interest in girls at all. And I wasn't allowed to see any guys." He shrugs as he thinks about it. "Harry offered, but it just wouldn't be the same. He's like my brother and even though I'm kinky, I'm not into incest."

Niall laughs, falling silent. "Well you don't have to wait any longer." He pushes Louis onto the ground straddling him kissing him hard.

Louis' hands automatically find themselves tangled in Niall's hair and their mouths are slotted perfectly together. He kisses him back with as much fever as he can. "Your kids are down the hall. You sure you want to do this?" He asks when they break for air. "I mean, I have absolutely no problems and I asked the others to keep the girls busy so..."

"We'll be fine." He runs his palms under Louis' shirt up and down his sides. "You're so handsome." Niall whispers trailing kisses down his jaw.

Louis' breath hitches as he moans at the feel of Niall on him. "Fuck, I missed you so much. I can't wait for you to open me up all over again."

"Babe," Niall whispers breathlessly discarding both of their shirts letting their bodies press flush against each other.

Louis arches up into the touch and stares up at Niall's eyes. His breathing is erratic and his body feels like it's on fire. He hasn't felt this way in six years. He can feel the blush staining his cheeks and he practically feel his pupils dilating as they try to stay focused on the blond. "Come on. Just imagine how tight I'll be around you. Imagine how I won't be able to walk tomorrow without thinking of you."

"Fuck. I'm going to make sure you'll still be able to feel me after I'm long gone." Niall whispers biting harshly into his neck.

Louis moans and turns his head so that he gives more access to Niall. "Yes, babe. Make me never forget you." His fingers dig into his back and the blunt tips of his nails rake down the pale skin. "Mark me. Make the world know I'm taken by the most amazing guy."

Niall tugs Louis' pants and boxers down, rutting against him, friction sparking between their hips.

"Shit! Niall!" Louis groans as he can feel himself harden up the blond's actions. "Please, just get on with it. I need you, need you to fuck me open."

"Do you want me to finger that beautiful little arse?" He bites at the elastic band with a low growl licking just underneath his belly button.

Louis could only nod as his eyes slipped shut and his mouth dropped open in a silent moan. He managed few words. "No lube. Need you. Need something." He knows that unless he has some type of liquid helping to slick him up, this was going to be so painful, but he was actually looking forward to the burn and stretch. He needed something- fingers, tongue, anything- inside him at the moment.

Niall nods frantically slipping a finger inside of him when there's a knock at the door.

"Daddy! Daddy!" Cadence calls turning the doorknob.

Louis's eyes widen and he quickly tries to get away from Niall, not wanting to have to explain the situation to the two young girls.

The door opens and there's Cadence and Connelly along with all of Louis' band mates. Liam is the first to break the awkward silence. "Oh... Um, I guess we should have waited for a come in..."

Niall's glad there's a couch for Louis to hide behind. "Hey, girls."

Cadence giggles poking his chest. "Daddy, where did your shirt go?"

Connelly frowns and looks around the room. "And where's Louis?"

The older male, for his credit, had managed to drag his boxers and jeans back on before popping up from behind the couch. "We were playing hide and seek! What else would we be doing?"

Harry looks at his other band mates awkwardly. "Yeah, I'm sure that's what they were doing."

Niall throws a pillow at Liam. "Everyone out!"

Zayn clears his throat awkwardly. "Actually, we need Louis. We're leaving for Bournemouth in about five minutes and he still needs to get all his stuff back on the bus."

Louis sighs. "I'll be right there. Just give a minute to say goodbye to the three of them."

Niall watches the boys leave as he tugs his shirt on over his head fixing the fabric around his waist.

Louis turns to face Niall, a small sad smile on his face. "I really don't want to say good bye to you. I feel like I just got you back and now..."

"If you don't text me for two weeks I'll fucking murder you." He whispers leaning forward to kiss him despite his threat.

Louis smiles into the kiss and wraps his arms around the slightly taller boy's neck. He pulls back and smiles brightly. "Never. I can pretty much text whoever I want now." He scrunches his nose in a bit of a sad way. "I'll have to end the contract with Eleanor. Other than that, don't believe anything you read unless I tell you it's true."

"Yeah, yeah, whatever. I love you, Lou." He goes to steal another kiss.

"Ew! That's gross!" Cadence exclaims her own nose scrunched up.

Louis laughs and pulls away from Niall to scoop the two girls up into his arms and kiss their hair multiple times over. "Is it gross when I kiss you?"

Connelly giggles and pecks Louis' cheek. "No! But that's cause I'm a girl and you're a boy."

"Yeah, boys kiss girls!" Cadence giggles smiling up at him.

Niall bites his thumbnail unsure if he should stay anything or not.

Louis frowns over at Niall before looking back down at the girls in his arms. "Well, sometimes girls kiss other girls and boys kiss other boys. It's okay. As long as you love them, you can kiss them."

Connelly smiles. "So I can kiss Elizabeth and be happy? She's my bestest friend in the whole world and I love her!"

Cadence shrugs pushing his cheeks together. "Whatever you say, Louis!"

Niall smiles softly taking both girls from him kissing the older boy. "I love you. I guess I'll see you later."

"Yeah. I'll call you tomorrow night." Louis stretches up on his tip toes and presses a kiss to Niall's forehead before bidding them all a safe trip home.

"I love you, guys." He says as Paul enters and pulls him away to get his stuff.

Connelly watches him go and looks up to her daddy. "So does this make Louis our mummy?"

Niall laughs shaking his head. "No, he's still a boy, baby. I guess he can be your mummy if you want."

"Cadence! We have a mummy! We finally have a mummy!" Connelly says excitedly as she claps and rests her head on Niall's shoulder.

"Yay! New mummy!" Cadence bounces up and down as best as she can feeling happier than she ever has.

Niall kisses both of their noses. "Yeah, you finally got one."

\------------

Louis stretches as he steps off the train in Donny. It was nearly seven in the morning and he can't believe he has a whole month off of touring, recording, and the lot. He hails a cab and hands the man the address that he had gotten from Niall's mother off the phone. He can't believe he's going to his boyfriend's home to surprise him. He can only imagine the girls' reactions.

Ten minutes later, the car stops outside a nice flat and Louis smiles brightly. This is home for the next month. He gets out, grabbing his bags, and pays the cabbie before watching him pull away. He heads up the front steps and knocks nervously on the door. He really hopes Niall doesn't turn him away.

"Both of you keep eating." Niall calls opening the door to find-

"Louis!" He wraps his arms around Louis' neck burying his nose in the juncture of his shoulder hugging him tightly.

Louis holds him tightly and doesn't want to ever let him go. "I'm home. You get me all to yourself for a month." He's so happy to be back in Donny and he's so glad that him and Niall had worked everything out. "I missed you. Texts and phone calls and FaceTime was not enough."

"No, it wasn't." Niall mumbles pressing closer to him kissing all over the side of his face. "Fuck, it's going to be hard when you go back." Thinking about that makes Niall hug his boyfriend harder.

Louis merely shushes him. "We have a month. Don't think about it yet." He moves inside and grabs his bag as best he can while being hugged and shuts the front door. "Go take care of the girls. I'm still gutted from our plane ride home from America. I'm just going to get some sleep in your bed if that's okay."

"That's more than fine." Niall kisses his lips once more moving to the dining room. "Are you two okay?" He asks leaning against the doorway.

Connelly nods and tries to peer around her father. "Who was at the door, daddy?"

Cadence splashed her spoon in her Cheerios and watched as the milk went all over the table. "Was it Grammy?"

"No, it's mummy." He chuckles at the nickname, but he thinks it's cute that they call him that.

Cadence's eyes widen a d she starts bouncing in her seat. "Daddy, down! I want mummy!"

Connelly, being older, merely dropped her spoon on the table and started to climb down from the tall chairs around the table. "Mummy's home!"

"Yeah, he's in my room." Niall picks up Cadence ascending the staircase. He slowly opens the door smiling sheepishly. "I'm sorry they wanted to say hi."

Louis, who is now down to boxers and a t shirt, smiles as the girls come into few. He reaches out for Cadence and coos happily. "That's fine. I missed you munchkins so much."

Connelly climbs onto the bed and stands there, wrapping her arms around Louis torso. "I'm so happy you're home, mummy."

Niall laughs putting the little girl on the mattress as well.

"Hi, mummy!" Cadence cheers kissing his cheek cuddling up to him.

Louis looks up at Niall with confusion on his face as he registered being called 'mummy'. "Hello, beautiful angels. Mummy is a bit knackered so if you want to stay in here you have to be quiet and let mummy sleep."

Connelly nods and looks up at Niall. "Daddy, come cuddle with us!"

Niall lies down tossing his arm over both girls, his hand resting on Louis' back. "This is nice."

Louis smiled into the nearly nonexistent light in the room. "Yeah." He waits until the girls have dropped off into sleep before talking again. "So what are you doing tonight? I was thinking maybe a nice date out in Donny. Since I don't have to hide who I am anymore, we can do dinner or something."

"That sounds absolutely perfect." He grins carefully leaning over to kiss Louis.

Louis chuckles softly before reaching down and petting at Connelly's hair. "So why am I being called mummy? Not I mind, obviously, but I think it's interesting."

"Well, they've been bullied at school for not having a mum and when they saw us together they got excited that they had a mummy and I couldn't break their hearts." He sighs running his fingers through Cadence's locks.

"They've been bullied for not having a mum? What kind of fucked up society do we live in?" Louis says quietly as he frowns and combs through Connelly's hair. "You know, I'm jealous of you, right? A normal family and a normal life. That just sounds so amazing."

Niall frowns. "It sounds nice, but it's hard dealing with the heavy stuff. When they start going through puberty and asking questions I'd have to drive them to my mum's."

"It's still normal. I can't even go shipping without them having to shut down the entire street so I don't get mobbed." Louis sighs. "Sometimes I wish I wasn't famous. Like, what would my life be like if I never auditioned for the show?"

"Don't say that. Don't ever say that." Niall knows Louis has no idea what he means and he didn't mean to sound so offended. "If you hadn't auditioned I never would have had the girls. So, selfishly, I'm glad you did."

Louis smiles brightly. "I'm glad something good came out of our time apart."

Connelly stirs in her sleep. "Mummy? Quiet. Sleepy time."

Niall chuckles quietly. "Go back to sleep, babe." He closes his eyes letting himself drift away.

\------------

Niall parks in front of the small white cottage cutting the engine. "We're here my beautiful little girls." He gets up helping Connelly out while carrying Cadence up to the front door.

Connelly ran up to the door and knocked incessantly until it opened to reveal her grandmother. "Grammy!"

Maura smiles and bends down to the small girl. "Hello, princess! Are you ready to give daddy a much needed night alone?"

Cadence runs up too, but she's not nearly as fast. "Mummy and daddy want alone time."

Niall greets his mother kissing her cheek.

Maura furrows her brows. "Mummy? I'm not going to be getting another tiny surprise in nine months am I?" She kisses her son's cheek and lets him in before shutting the door behind him. "So mummy is back in the picture?"

Niall laughs. "Don't think Louis can get pregnant. They just call him mummy." He shrugs his shoulders casually, a lazy grin on his face.

Maura nods in understanding. "So will the girls be staying here tonight then? I'm assuming you and Lou are going to be celebrating being together again."

"We're going out to celebrate if you don't mind that is." Niall bites into his lip smiling.

Maura shakes her head. "Of course not. Just be safe, use protection, all the jazz."

"Mum, little ears!" Niall cries crossing his arms. He shakes his head, but grins hugging the smaller woman tightly.

She laughs lightly and hugs her son back. "Don't worry. Now go get your man flat on his back since we both know that's where he'll be for a while."

Niall's entire face turns red. "Mum! Stop humiliating me! I'm a grown man and you're still embarrassing."

"What? Are you the one who stays on his back? Let’s be honest here, I didn't Louis would be the dominant kind." She smiles brightly trying to see get how much he can take before just leaving and heading home.

"No! I'm not on my back! Only sometimes, but that's if Louis wants a different position... And why am I talking about this?" He grabs at his hair groaning.

Maura is laughing hysterically and trying to push her son out of the door. "Go to him before you die of sexual tension. You're obviously going to skip dinner. Reminds me of your father's and I's first date after Greg was born. Skipped dinner and went straight for dessert. Nine months later, we had you."

"Oh my god!" Niall cries storming away, his cheeks, neck, and the tips of his ears scarlet red.

"Have fun! Love you! Tell Louis I said hello!" She shouts after him as he storms away.

He gets into his car and if he's speeding faster than normal well...

\------------

Louis is back at Niall's flat, frantically trying to get ready. It's been six years since he's been on a proper date and he's actually a bit worried about it all up. He knows he doesn't have much time since Niall was only heading to his mother's home. He thanked his lucky stars he already shaved and everything, but he couldn't decide what to wear for this date.

Niall pulls up into the driveway turning off the car engine. He gets out ascending towards his flat. He's nervous, hoping that this would go well. He shuts the front door behind himself. "Louis?"

The brunet whines as he stood there in his boxer briefs in front of Niall's mirror. "In the bedroom!" He didn't want Niall to come in here and laugh at him for being so indecisive about his wardrobe, but maybe Niall could help him pick something out.

Niall raises an eyebrow walking into the room. "Well if you want to just skip the date we can."

Louis looks up with a small smirk. "Or we could go back to it. There's nothing wrong with eating dessert first." He turns to face the man and places a hand on his hip as it jutted out. "It's up to you really."

Niall grabs Louis by the pelvis pulling their bodies together. "I like that idea."

Louis smiles brightly. "Well if that's what you really want, who am I to deny you that?" He giggles and pulls Niall down to press their lips together. "I'm really glad we get a whole month together."

"Yeah to do," he kisses Louis' lips, "this," a suck to his ear, "for a month." He bites into the juncture of his shoulder sucking a throbbing red love bite into his skin.

Louis' eyes flutter shut as he tries to pull the boy even closer to himself. "I'll be needing to get a lot of cover up then. Paps are most likely looking throughout Donny for me." He walks them backwards till his legs hit the edge of the bed and he goes tumbling backwards, pulling Niall with him. "God forbid I have a personal life."

"It's alright, babe." He nips at his collar bone standing up. "Let's get ready for that date then." Niall heads to the closet.

Louis pouts. "What about dessert first? I was really looking forward to that." He gets up and goes to unzip his still packed suitcase. "I mean, the mutual masturbation over FaceTime was great, but I really want you- all of you."

"We can wait until after." Niall's always been a tease, he loves doing it.

Louis huffs, but gets dressed in a pair of black skinny jeans and nice red button up. He heads to the bathroom and spends about ten minutes getting his hair to be absolutely perfect and brushing his teeth. Once that's done, he rolls the cuffs of his pants and slips on black ankle socks and his black Vans. "You ready then?"

"Yeah, I am. Don't you look delicious." He grins wolfishly linking their fingers together. "Why don't we walk? The restaurant is down the street." He walks into the cool night sir heading down the stairs.

"Louis! Louis! Who's the friend?"

"Are you staying with him instead of your mum? Louis!"

"Louis, Louis, Louis!"

The paps were swarming outside of Niall's flat and Louis wondered how anyone had known to find him here. With an irritated sigh, he tightens his grip on Niall's hand and leads them away.

"Louis! What's the blond's name? Is this a date? Louis!"

Niall hides his face in Louis' neck feeling his face flush all over, growing hot and pink. "I don't know what to do." He whispers tucking himself into Louis' side.

Louis holds him tighter. "Don't let them see your face and don't say anything. They'll twist and make it a story." He's glad they didn't have the girls with them, but he knows that the paps won't stop so it's only a matter of time. "We'll discuss at dinner."

Niall pulls his navy blue sweater up and over his face blindly walking into the restaurant. "Fuck that was scary. I don't know what to do though."

Louis pulls the sweater down and looks at Niall with a bit of a sad smile. "Trust me, I know it's a lot, but if you're uncomfortable I'll go back to my mum's. The girls are at least semi used to it."

"No, it's fine. If we're going to be together then I need to accept you, all of you." He doesn't think, leaning over and planting a kiss on Louis. The large window they're in front of he doesn't even register.

Louis can see the flashes of the cameras outside the window. He can't bring himself to care as he pulls the boy closer to him.

The hostess clears her throat. "Um, whenever you boys are ready, you're table is ready."

"Oh, yeah, let's go." Niall grabs Louis following the young woman to the table.

"Thank you." He whispers sliding into the bench with his boyfriend.

Louis waits until the hostess is gone before turning to smile brightly over at his blond. "There's one more thing about the paps that we need to discuss." He sighs as he thinks about the tingling sensation in his stomach at the thought of Niall putting up with paps for him. "I don't want them hounding the girls. If the girls are with me in public, it'll get nasty."

"So what do you suggest we do?" Niall sits back flipping mindlessly through the menu in his hands.

Louis frowns. "You're their father, but I do want to be able to go out- the four of us. It's honestly up to you. If you don't have a problem with it, then we would just discuss it over with the girls."

Niall reaches over grabbing Louis' hand, running his thumb over his boyfriend's knuckle. "I love you so damn much and those girls do too. I know it'll be weird, but they'll get used to it."

Louis smiles softly and nods. "I'm so happy we're doing this again. I don't think you realised just how much I missed you." He squeezes tightly to Niall's hand and flips his menu open to look about. "Oh, god. I'm just happy I'll be able to have a decent cup of Yorkshire tea. Harry thinks he's this great tea maker and it honestly tastes like cat piss."

Niall laughs hard shaking his head. "You're terrible! Just tell him the truth!"

Louis laughs as well. "Have you ever tried to tell Harry something like that? He just pouts and his eyes get all wide and then he apologises for hours."

"I've never had to say sorry! Although if I weren't with you I'd have made a pass at Harry.. Or Zayn... Liam's a babe as well." Niall shrugs non-committally closing the menu after picking something out.

The waitress stops by and Louis orders some tea and a salad since management had been on his case of eating nothing but junk food lately. He looks over at Niall to let the boy know to place his order.

Niall ends up ordering a pizza, hamburger, and a side of fries.

Louis chuckled. "I forgot just how much you could eat. I would have thought your appetite would have curbed by now though."

"Of course not! I still eat a hell of a lot." Niall laughs looking at his flat torso. At least he's small.

Louis smiles and looks lovingly over at the man before him. "You haven't changed at all. It's been six years and you're still that happy-go-lucky blond I fell in love with."

"Were you expecting me to be different?" Niall pouts smiling when their drinks come offering a thanks to the waitress.

Louis smiles as he grabs the sugar for his tea. "A bit yeah. I thought having two girls would change you slightly, but nothing has changed at all." "I wouldn't expect anything different. They definitely seem to be the light of your world. I was actually really worried they wouldn't like me and we'd never get a chance at us again." Louis admits sheepishly.

"To be honest, and don't get mad, but if they didn't like you then I would have said goodbye. I love you, but they come first and I would never want to put them in a position that they disliked who I'm with." He smiles though squeezing his hand. "Luckily they like their new mummy so I don't have to choose." Niall leans over kissing him.

Louis smiles. "If you had said that they didn't like me, I would have left. That's how my stepfather came onto my life. My mum didn't listen when I said I didn't like him." He tightens his grip on his hand and smiles. "The girls realise I'm not their real mum right?"

"They do, but that doesn't mean they won't stop calling you that. Just embrace it, love." Niall smiles flirtatiously rubbing his foot against Louis' calf under the table.

Louis blushes at the contact below and is about to say something when their food is being placed in front of them. He thanks the waitress and smiles over Niall. "Eat up. I'm feeling like I could have multiple rounds of dessert tonight." He picks up his fork and starts to eat like he hadn't said anything at all.

Niall flushes munching into his pepperoni pizza. "I think I could go for some too. Wouldn't want to wear anything out though." He wants to have sex, but he wants it to be special, wants to remind Louis that they're together again.

Louis cocks his head to the side. "We used to go multiple times in a day back when we were in high school." He doesn't want Niall to think he only wants sex. He wants everything with Niall, but he needs to let the boy know how much he missed him.

Niall drums his fingers along the table. "Yeah, but clearly we didn't communicate. If we did, would we be in the situation we're in?" He's so afraid of losing him it's unreal and he'd do whatever to keep him.

Louis frowns. "I don't know. I thought I made it pretty clear that I couldn't talk because we were in prep for the show." He didn't want to hash out why they didn't work out the first time. He just wanted everything to work now.

"You made it very clear, but if we communicated back in high school it never would have been an issue." Niall's staring to get irritated. Louis never seemed to listen or make an attempt to understand where he's coming from.

Louis sighs. "Okay, okay. Let's not argue. This is supposed to be a nice night out." He takes a bite of his salad hoping to ease the tension some. "So tell me all about the girls' schooling."

Niall hates this- Louis always skirting around the question and never answering it directly. "Change the subject whatever." He takes his leg away from Louis' as he talks. "Connelly's in Kindergarten and Cadence's in pre school. Anything else you want to know?"

Louis sighs. "I guess you're really not in the mood for talking. So what caused this change?" He looks over at the blond. "Is this because I'm not talking about our communication problems from six years ago?"

"From now still. If we ever had good communication we wouldn't be talking about this! I'm sorry that I don't want what we had in high school. That was purely based on sex and you fucking know it. If we could actually carry on a decent conversation we wouldn't be having sex multiple times throughout the day. So I'm sorry I want an actual relationship." Niall's ready to blow, but he's trying to make this work so he calms himself. "I want this to work but you never listen to me. You always have to talk down to me like I'm beneath you and I fucking hate it."

"How do I talk down to you? I think I treat you pretty much like an equal. But fine, you don't want a relationship based on sex? Works for me. I've gone six years without sex. I think I can handle another year or two." He sets his fork down, crossing his arms over his chest. "What would you like to talk about? Enlighten me, please."

Niall groans. "I'm not saying never have sex, but all we did is have sex. I'm fine with it a few days a week alright, but I don't want it to be purely that." He shakes his head leaning back. "And this! You're tone right now like I'm a fucking child. You know what? You never listen to me and when you do you have an attitude. I have two kids not three." He stands up tossing his napkin onto his plate along with money for his meal. Niall starts swiftly walking towards the exit. He can't have a relationship if Louis' going to be so condescending when he tries to talk about his feelings.

Louis huffs and gets up, tossing about hundred pounds onto the table and following after the blond. "Niall! Niall, come back! Fine! We'll talk this out! Niall! Niall!" He throws the restaurant door open hoping to catch up with the blond, forgetting about the thousand and one paps right outside. He fights his way through the crowd after the blond who he can see retreating to his flat. "Niall! Niall!"

"Fuck you." Niall hisses even if Louis can't hear, flipping him off. His blood is boiling by this point. He storms up the stairs digging through his jeans for house keys he knows he has.

Louis is a few houses down and is quickly becoming agitated at the paps yelling and snapping pictures of his misfortune. When he hears his blond's name tumble from the paps mouths, he sees red. "Don't you have anything better to do than sit here and take pictures of other's misfortune? Get a real job and stop following me and my boyfriend you fuckers!"

Niall manages to key the lock sighing. When Louis makes it up he collapses against his chest crying. "I'm sorry! I'm sorry for ruining the night!" He wraps his arms tightly around his boyfriend. "I didn't mean to ruin dinner."

Louis holds him tightly against him and pulls the man inside, slamming the door in the camera men's faces. "No, it was my fault. I'm being a complete asshole." He moves them to the couch and has the man sit down. "I'm sorry- for dinner and the fact that we'll both be all over the covers of gossip magazines."

"I don't care about the magazines. I just want to know you're in this for more than a fuck." Niall cries against his shoulder sniffling.

Louis looks down at the couch. "Do you really think I'm in it for only the sex? Do you really think I'm that shallow?" He bites at his lip while swallowing the painful lump in his throat. "I'm in for the long haul, I just... I don't know how to say it..."

"I don't think that's all, but I feel like that's the majority. I love you so much, Louis. I just want to cuddle and watch a stupid made for TV movie." Niall whispers all of this looking down at his hands.

Louis looks down at him. "We can do that. It's not all about the sex. I'm here for you."

Niall nods slowly standing up to shed off his jeans. Once he's comfortable he settles against Louis' side snatching a blanket from the side of the couch to cover, both of them.

Louis chuckles and presses a kiss to side of his head. "Almost wish the girls were here so the picture would be completely." He lazily drags his fingers through the blond hair and watches as Niall tries to find something for them to watch. "How did mum react to me being back in your life?"

"She's... A bit skeptical, but she wants me to be happy." He smiles lazily flipping to the cheesy love story playing.

Louis nods lightly and reaches down to tangle their fingers together. "I completely understand why she's skeptical. I guess we didn't have a great track record back then."

"She'll learn to love you again like I did. Let's just watch whatever this is and enjoy the evening okay?" Niall squeezes Louis' hand kissing his cheek.

Louis agrees and settles in for the night. He'll be completely happy if they never have to move again and they can just stay there forever.

\------------

Niall yawns under his breath eyes fluttering open to sunlight cutting through the room. He doesn't remember falling asleep, but he fell asleep against Louis he guesses sometime during the movie. He uses the remote to flip to a random channel only to have E! News pop up with Jason Kennedy and Guliana Rancic.

"Big news in the music world! With the world's biggest boyband on holiday, sparks are flying. We have the latest on just who Harry Styles is chasing." Jason says with an eyebrow waggle to the camera.

Guliana nods and her face breaks into an even bigger smile. "And, back in Doncaster, tempers explode. Louis Tomlinson yelling at paps to leave him alone. Plus, who's the blond suddenly attached to his side?"

Niall sits up more turning the volume to an immeasurable level, but he knows Louis wouldn't wake up. There's a picture of them holding hands and walking down the sidewalk, but Niall's covering his face with his sweater by that point.

The picture fades to one of them kissing in the restaurant parlour before cutting out entirely and going back to the male at the E! desk. "Luckily, the duo seemed to have a falling out and we caught it all on tape."

The view switches to shaky footage of Niall pushing past the paps and basically speed walking down the street. Soon enough, Louis is pushing his way through yelling Niall's name at the top of his lungs.

"Fuck." Niall groans holding his face in his hands. He wasn't even thinking when he left the restaurant other than just getting home.

Niall takes a few calming breaths. It's not that bad, it could be worse he supposes.

Louis is being pursued and soon enough, a pap calls Niall's name and Louis turns around- fire in his eyes- and starts shouting. "Don't you have anything better to do than sit here and take pictures of other's misfortune? Get a real job and stop following me and my boyfriend you fuckers!”

"Fuck, this is bad." Niall mumbles. He knows Louis' going to have to apologize and explain who his boyfriend is which might include delving into the past.

Louis stirs in the spot beside Niall and groans in the back of his throat as he pulls the boy tighter and closer to him. "What time is it? It's way too early to be up. Let's head to the bedroom and get another hour or two to ourselves."

"It's ten, Louis... Louis, listen; watch this." Niall thanks God for Tivo rewinding back to the beginning of the story.

Louis groans and opens his eyes. He sees the pictures of him and Niall and smiles lightly. "You look really good. Normally I look like shit in pap pictures."

"Keep watching, Lou." Niall lies against his boyfriend as he watches the story unfold a second time.

Louis cuddles tighter with the other boy and watches as suddenly he's screaming and yelling at the paps. His breathing stops for a minute or two. "Shit. I'm surprised management hasn't call-"

Just then, Louis' phone starts ringing on the coffee table. He looks down at it before looking up at his boyfriend. "I'm technically on holiday. How long do you think that excuse will last?"

"I have no idea. I'm not the one in a boy band." Niall shrugs running his fingers through his disheveled hair.

Louis groans. "You should answer the phone. That way I don't have to talk to them."

"I don't know what to say!" Niall grabs the phone anyways answering the call.

"Louis William Tomlinson! We have major damage control to go over. Calling the paps fuckers? A boyfriend? We need an emergency meeting in London today."

"Um, hello...?" Niall trails off nervously messing around with his fingers as he listens.

"Fucking hell." The male voice mumbles into the receiver. "Is Louis around? It's urgent that he get his ass on a one way train to London."

"I'll, uh, tell him that then." Niall feels like a deer caught in headlights even if he did answer the phone.

"Perfect. Tell him to bring all his bags because Doncaster is off limits for next month." The voice growled. "If he wants visitors, they'll have to come to London. At least here we have a better control on the media."

"Oh, alright." Niall slowly hangs up turning to stare at his boyfriend. "They want you to pack your bags and go to London. You can't be in Doncaster anymore."

Louis sighs. "Okay. Come on, then. My bag is still pretty much packed. I guess we need to get a bag for you and the girls will each need one." He nuzzles his face into Niall's neck and presses a soft kiss there. "I hope the girls will like London."

Niall pulls back eyes wide. He feels terrible, but they couldn't up and leave for London. "I... Louis we can't just go."

"Sure you can! You can stay with me! I have plenty of room. We can enroll the girls in a private school and you can either go to University or get a job or do whatever you want." Louis doesn't see the issue here. Everything would be better in London. "I honestly don't see why you can't."

"We already have a life here, Louis. I can't just uproot the girls from all their friends! I can't leave behind what I've built up and my mother is a few minutes away I need her more than anyone." Niall frowns deeply gripping Louis' hand underneath the blanket.

Louis sighs. "At least come down for a small holiday then. Come down for the month and try living there. I don't want to be that far away from you my time off." He leans forward, resting his head against Niall's shoulder and pressing soft kisses to the man's shoulder blades. "I only just got you back... Don't make me leave again..."

Niall's eyes flutter close nodding his head absently. "Fine... Fine just for a month."

Louis smiles. "What if you like it more than Donny? Would you consider staying?" He doesn't want to get his hopes up, but he really wants Niall in his home. "I can help you pack the girls' bags."

"It's up to the girls. If they want to stay then we will." Niall shrugs standing up to call up his mum.

Louis smiles brightly. "Perfect. I'll go repack the few things I need to pack and then I'll meet you in the girls' room." He gets up and presses a kiss to Niall's lips until he can hear the tell tale sign of Maura answering the phone with her standard, 'Niall, darling!'

"Hey, mum. Listen Louis has to go back to London and he wants the girls and me to come with. It'll only be for a month, I promise."

Maura frowns. "You're going to his house for a month? Niall, this has disaster written all over it."

"Why? Why is it a disaster? Because I want to try for a relationship?"

Maura sighs. "You're going to get dependent and then he's going to have to jet off to America or something. Stay here in Donny and keep your life on track."

"I'm only going for a month! I'm not moving, mum. I'm staying in Doncaster, just taking a break."

"Niall, you're going to get your heart broken- again." Maura rubs at her temple as she tries to keep the girls in front of her occupied. "Are you taking the girls with you? That's what you said?"

"Do you not want me to go?" Niall collapses back onto his bed sighing

Maura thinks the girls will be fine for a minute or two and heads to her bedroom to keep the conversation from them. "No, I don't want you to go. You've only been back together for month and of that time, you've only been physically together for twenty four hours." She runs a hand through her hair. "What if the girls get too attached?"

"They already call Louis mummy." Niall admits sighing. He runs a hand down his face in annoyance.

She sighs. "I don't see why you even called me then. It's obvious you're going to go, no matter what."

"Mum, I just want your approval. But life is about taking risks and this is one of those moments."

"It's hard to give my approval to someone who's hurt you before." Maura says quietly. "Take your risk though. Do what you need to."

"If he hurts me again I'll end it indefinitely okay?"

"I trust you, love. Just come by and get the girls when you're ready to leave. Love you, Niall."

"I love you, mama." Niall ends the conversation heading into the girls' room to find his boyfriend.

Louis looks up from where he's picking up folded clothes from the drawers. "That took a bit longer than expected." He pulls out a blue leotard and smiles. "I didn't know the girls were into sports and such."

"Connelly's in gymnastics and Cadence just started tap dance two weeks ago." He smiles watching Louis move around the room. He grabs the back of his head kissing him a little urgently. "I love you. I love you a lot." Niall whispers, playing with the hair at the back of Louis' neck.

Louis makes a muffled noise of surprise, but it quickly passes. "I love you too. I don't think you really know how hard those six years without you were." He sets the clothes in his hands on the bed by the small piece of luggage he found. "I'm so glad you're coming home with me. The lads will be so excited to meet you properly. This time won't be them walking in on you fingering me."

Niall blushes red. "Yeah, let's not have it happen again. Look I need to pack alright?" He kisses Louis leaving the room. He's scared shitless of the future but it's a risk worth taking.

\------------

Niall lies back on his stomach on the checkered blanket laid out on the grass. He rests his chin in his palm watching Connelly help Cadence around the colorfully painted playground. He licks over his lips loving the sound of them giggling.

Louis comes back to the blanket with a bottle of water for the girls when they need it, a cup of tea for himself, and tea for Niall. "They seem to really be enjoying themselves." He gets down, lying next to his boyfriend and kisses at his temple gently. "Are you guys heading home tomorrow or are you staying at my place while I go back on promo."

Niall bites into his lip keeping his eyes on his children. "I think I'm going to take them to visit my mum for a week. She's been missing them, but I think I need to hire some movers. I mean you have a guest room that could definitely be printed blue and purple and I could make it look just like their room back home..." He hasn't mentioned moving in until now, but he thinks he's ready to do that.

"Or... You can move into my room permanently and the girls can each have their own room." Louis says quietly. He's so happy that Niall is moving in with him. "Do... Do you think your mum will approve?"

"I think they'd like having their own rooms." He watches Connelly take Cadence down a long slide. "Whether she approves or not it's my decision not hers." Niall turns his head kissing Louis quickly.

Louis nods and looks over at the girls. "If you want, I'll have management look into schools around here and see which ones are ranked highest. It doesn't matter the cost. I want them to have the best education they can."

Connelly sees the adults looking at them and waves happily. She bends down to whisper secretively in her sister's ear.

Niall waves back lying flat on his stomach. "Whatever I can do for them really."

Louis frowns. "No. You're moving in with me. Despite anything you say, I now feel responsible for the munchkins. So, I'll pay for their education if I have to."

"Alright, alright, you can pay; but I want to help pick the school, love." Niall hums quietly moving his sunglasses to rub tiredly at his eyes.

Louis leans over and places a sweet and gentle kisses to his boyfriend's lips. "That's fine. I'll just have them compile a list of high rated schools and you can check them out then. Sound good?"

"Sounds great." Niall murmurs back, rolling over to stare at the sky. He closes his eyes smiling. Louis kept on talking about the future while his daughters giggled. He places his hands on his stomach enjoying the warmth of the mid-afternoon.

With a final kiss to Niall's hair, Louis curls up close to his boyfriend and thinks about the past month. He drifts off with a smile on his face and a dream about the future in his mind.


End file.
